Ingredients
12 small red apples
12 paddle pop sticks of thick wooden skewers
4 cups caster sugar
1 cup water with a squeeze lemon juice
1/3 cup glucose syrup
red food colouring
24 candy spearmint leaves
Method
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Line two flat baking trays with baking paper and set aside. Wash apples well and dry well with a soft cloth. Place them onto a flat board, stem end up and push the paddle pop stick or skewer into each one.
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Combine the sugar, water with lemon and glucose and colouring in a large saucepan. Stir over a very low heat until sugar dissolves. Brush the edges of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in water to remove any sugar crystals.
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Increase heat and bring to simmering point. Simmer uncovered for 10 min or until mixture reaches hard crack stage 154C on a sugar thermometer.
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Remove from the heat and allow the bubbles to subside, to intensify the colour, add a few extra drops of food colour, swirl to distribute the colour.
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Tilt the pan to the side and dip the apples into the toffee one at a time, swirling to coat the apple with the coloured toffee mixture. Allow the toffee to drain off for a few minutes. Then place onto the baking tray to set.
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Repeat with remaining apples and toffee. Decorate the around the paddle pop sticks with spearmint leaves, attaching with a little extra toffee if needed. When set, wrap in cellophane.