Caramel Crabapples with Sugared Macadamia Sprinkle

Here is a fun little sweet bite to make when crab apples are in season. I had these crabapples left over in my fridge and they still looked good and tasted good. Instead of  making a crabapple preserve of some kind, I thought I’d make them into little caramel apples. I love caramel and candied apples almost as much as I love cotton candy:) but find them too hard to eat when they are made with standard size apple. These one bite sweeties are just right.

If the crabapples have a stem (most come with a stem) you can make them just like that and use the stem to hold them. If they have no stem you can buy candy sticks instead, like the ones you get on a lollipop. If you use these, push them into the stem end of the apples before dipping in the caramel.

These can be part of a dessert offering, a snack or part of a cheese tray. Why not?

You will have leftover caramel and leftover sugared nuts. Keep the nuts in a small bag in the freezer for other uses (add to pancakes, waffles, cookies etc.) and keep the caramel in the fridge to drizzle over ice cream or dessert.

here is how I made them:

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Ingredients:

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24 crab apples, with stem on.

Sugared macadamia sprinkle:

1 cups macadamia nuts

1 tablespoon sugar

Caramel:

1 cup sugar

2 tablespoons water

2 tablespoon butter

1/4 cup cream

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Directions:

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Place apples on a parchment paper on the counter.

Sugared macadamia:

Combine nuts and sugar in a small food processor and process until grounded. Don’t under process, you want a nice granular state.

Caramel:

Place sugar and water in a small saucepan with a glass lid.

Cover and bring to a boil over medium heat.

Lower heat so the sugar is at a slow boil. Keep covered, do not stir.

Let cook until the colour changes to amber.

Remove lid and swirl the pot gently to spread the goiledn colour around, being very careful not to burn yourself,.

When the colour is golden add the butter and remove from heat.

Stir carefully with a whisk.

Add the cream and allow the caramel to melt together with the butter and cream.

When caramel is melted and smooth place it near the apples.

Dip each apple into the caramel, holding it by the stem and being careful as the caramel is extremely hot.

Work with a few apples at a time and set each caramel coated apple on the parchment to cool slightly.

Dip each caramel coated apple in the ground macadamias, turning to coat on all sides.

Place on parchment and let cool.

Repeat with remaining apples.

If the caramel cools too quickly you can return it to the heat for a few minutes to melt it again.

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