Caramel Apples Part Two

This month one of the most amazing things came to me via the us post office. Gourmet magazine. If you do not receive this magazine sign up right now. On the cover was a beautiful red apple with (what I thought was) candy coating, but was really caramel. Caramel apples equal fall for me and this was a red win reduction caramel apple. I do not think I could have been more excited, and on top of the wine their was no corn syrup so this is my second try on my favorite fall treat.

I chose a random selection of fresh picked apples from the local orchard but the gourmet recipe calls for 8 small McIntosh apples stemmed washed well and dried. If you read my first attempt on caramel apples you need to stem them to remove the wax from the stores.

Ingredients

• 8 small McIntosh apples, stemmed, washed well, and dried
• 1 1/2 cups red wine
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 6 tablespoons heavy cream

Make sure before you put anything into a pan that you have a place prepared for the finished product and that the apples are ready for dipping. Take you r red wine and reduce it over medium heat to 1/2 cup of deliciousness. The recipe say 8 to 10 minutes mine took a little longer. Then in a 2 1/2 to 3-qt heavy saucepan stir together sugar and water and bring to a boil over medium heat. When sugar reaches a boil put on lid and do not stir but swirl the pan occasionally. Stirring reduced sugar can cause a course finish so no stirring. When the caramel (sugar) reaches a dark amber color add the reduced wine. This will cause bubbles and steam so do not freak out but make sure that your pan has enough room to not over flow also do not stir just swirl. When the red wine is added and combined it is time to stir in the cream then simmer until you freshly inserted candy thermometer registers 238 degrees Fahrenheit. When temperature is reach remove caramel from heat and let cool to 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Now it is time to dip. Now the recipe say to dip the apple into the caramel then to turn the apple upside down to let the caramel run up the apple for 15 seconds then turn apple right side up and place on a greased piece of wax paper and allow to stand for 30 minutes. when I did this the caramel dropped right into my right hand and was a little to hot. SO what I end up doing was turning on it side and rotating twice before placing on parchment paper. After forcing myself to wait a half hour I was very excited to find that the caramel set up perfectly not to sticky not to hard perfect. I have found a new caramel apple that works for all of my needs

Recipe by Paul Grimes

http://www.gourmet.com/recipes/2000s/2009/10/red-wine-caramel-apples