Ultimate Caramel Apples - A Favorite Fall Treat

I know I've already posted these caramel apples, but since I've been doing this food blog nearly a year I've learned a few tricks about food photography so I just wanted to share some new photos. Plus these are one of my favorite treats so I figured I may as well share them again for those of you that weren't following along last year to see them.
 I've made these caramel apples countless times and everyone always loves them. I mean who doesn't love a delicious, chewy, generously coated in caramel, chocolate covered, sprinkled with tasty toppings caramel apple? To take one bite is simply pure bliss. The chewy bite, the perfect texture and buttery stretch of the homemade caramel, ahhh. Words or pictures don't do them justice.
I like to make them pretty and fancy, but if you want you can just dip and coat the entire apple with caramel. I just love having that vibrant beautiful green show through though. The natural color of fruit is just gorgeous, so why hide it? This recipe is a bit time consuming but I'm telling you it is so worth it! Once you have these you wont want to let a Fall season go by without them. If you don't want to take the time to coat them with the chocolate and toppings then these really are amazing with caramel alone. The homemade caramel makes all the difference in a great caramel apple. It turns an ordinary caramel apple into a fancy, gourmet caramel apple. These make a great gift to give friends or loved ones. I just took them to friends and told them, Happy Fall! Who needs a holiday to celebrate =). I love Fall.
Also note that a candy thermometer is a MUST with this recipe. The caramel needs to be heated to exactly 239 degrees or it will either be too runny or too hard. If you don't have one it's worth the investment. You can pick one up at a local supermarket for about $10 - $15. I use mine all the time. Enjoy!

Caramel Apples
Yields 10

Ingredients:
10 small Granny Smith Apples
1 recipe Homemade Caramel, recipes follows
12 oz. milk chocolate or white chocolate chips*
Assorted toppings for coating, see list below
10 craft sticks or twigs

Directions:
Insert 1 craft stick vertically through the center of each apple, set apples aside. Butter two 13x9 pans, and make enough space in the refrigerator for them to sit evenly. 
Prepare Homemade Caramel as directed and allow to cool about 10 - 13 minutes then immediately dip apples in caramel (note: from my experience this caramel doesn't reheat well, so with that said you basically get one chance to dip so don't let the caramel cool too long and work quickly when dipping, you may even want to have a friend help to be able work quicker). If you want to make yours to look like the ones pictured (with the apple showing through the center on top) then tilt apple when dipping and don't fully immerse apple in the caramel, then carefully swirl the apple to coat all edges. Lift apple and let some of the excess caramel drip off and run the bottom of the apple along the inside edge of the pan. Tilt apple upside down and swirl just until the caramel is about to run off, then immediately turn upright and transfer to buttered baking dish in refrigerator. Repeat process with remaining apples, be sure to space them a bit apart on baking dish so they don't stick together. Allow caramel coated apples to set in refrigerator.
Heat chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl on 50% power, in 30 second intervals stirring after each interval until melted and smooth. Using an icing spatula or butter knife, coat edges with melted chocolate and immediately sprinkle with desired toppings. Return to refrigerator to allow chocolate to set. Serve at room temperature and store in the refrigerator in airtight containers or Ziploc bags.

*Blocks of chocolate can also be used, just chop into small, uniform pieces to ensure even melting. Also, I highly recommend using quality chocolate (chips or blocks) such as Guittard, Ghirardelli or Godiva (any of the G's =). The lower quality chips don't melt as well and tend leave that dull residue when they set.

Homemade Caramel

Ingredients:
1 cup butter
2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups corn syrup
2 cups heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:
In a large enameled cast iron pot, combine butter, sugar, corn syrup and 1 cup heavy cream. Heat mixture to a boil just over medium heat (the 6 of an electric stove), stirring frequently. Once mixture has reached a boil, stir in remaining one cup heavy cream. Then without stirring,(again just slightly over medium heat) bring mixture to exactly 239 degrees then immediately remove from heat (this should take around 20 - 25 minutes). Carefully pour caramel into a medium nonstick saucepan and stir in vanilla (transferring caramel to another pan helps it cool faster and will leave behind some of the little brown specs at the bottom of the cast iron pan. You don't have to transfer it but if you don't just allow the caramel to cool a little longer than the 10 minutes). Allow to cool 10 minutes before dipping apples.

Coating Ideas

To crush, place ingredients in a ziploc bag, seal and crush with a rolling pin. I probably make these too much because I've started naming them =). When I listed the white or milk chocolate chips I'm referring the which type of melted chocolate to coat them with.

• Crushed Oreos with white chocolate chips - Cookies and Cream 
• Crushed Oreos with milk chocolate chips - Cookie Fudge 
• Crushed Butterfingers - Candy Bar Apple
• Chopped nuts, such as pecans, almonds or peanuts - Nutty
• Sliced or chopped almonds and poppy seeds with white chocolate - Almond Poppyseed 
• Chopped dried cranberries & chopped walnuts or pecans with white chocolate chips - Christmas Apple
• Sprinkles - Every Kids Favorite
• Crushed graham crackers or graham cracker pie crust & a little cinnamon & nutmeg with white chocolate chips - Apple Pie
• Crushed sugar cones or waffle cones with white chocolate chips - Ice Cream Apple
• Chopped mini marshmallows & optional chopped nuts with milk chocolate chips - Rocky Road
• Crushed pretzels - Salted Caramel
• Crushed shortbread with milk chocolate chips - The Twix 
• Crushed lavender & vanilla bean with white chocolate chips - The Gourmet

...or whatever else you can come up with.

Recipe Source: Caramel Apples - Cooking Classy, Homemade Caramel - adapted from allrecipes.com

Reese's Krispie Treats

Don't you love when you finally get around to making one of those recipes that you've had pinned or bookmarked for several months, especially when it's a really good one? This is one of those for me and I'm telling you I shouldn't have waited this long to try it. 

These remind me a lot of Scotcheroos (if you've ever had those) but without the butterscotch flavor and rather more peanut butter flavor thanks to the topping of those ever so amazing Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. I love Scotcheroos but I'd have to say I like these even more. These incredible easy to make treats are chewy, crunchy, deliciously sweet, perfectly peanut buttery along with just the right ratio of chocolate (to mimic the flavor of the Reese's) and then they are finished of with the crowning jewels, the melt in your mouth Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. All that and it's destined to make one highly addictive, not to be forgotten treat. This is one you'll want to pin and try in the very near future. Enjoy and share, and thanks Sweet Basil for a great recipe!

Reese's Krispie Treats
Yields 12 squares

Ingredients:
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 1/2 cups Rice Krispies Cereal
6 regular size Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, each diced into 8 pie shaped wedges

Directions:
In a medium saucepan, combine corn syrup, sugar and salt and bring mixture just to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly (to dissolve sugar). Once mixture reaches a boil, reduce heat slightly and allow to gently boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat, add in peanut butter, chocolate chips and vanilla, stir mixture until chocolate chips have completely melted. Pour in Rice Krispies Cereal and toss mixture to evenly coat. Pour mixture into a buttered 8x8 (or 9x9) baking dish and gently spread and press into an even layer. Allow to cool until just warm to the touch then evenly distribute diced Reese's Peanut Butter Cups over top and lightly press them onto the coated cereal. Enjoy warm, with ooey gooey melted chocolate topping (my favorite, I love melted candy bars though =) or cover and refrigerate until chocolate has set, then remove from refrigerator and rest about 10 minutes at room temperature and cut into squares. Store in an airtight container.

Recipe Source: Sweet Basil

White Chocolate Coconut Rice Krispie Treats

Alas, Cookies and Cream Rice Krispie Treats have met their match. I didn't know if I could ever have a Rice Krispie Treat I liked as much as those... that is until these came along. I've been wanting to make a coconut Rice Krispie Treat for some time now, who knows why I waited this long to try it. Basically, I love coconut anything. It's like an instant upgrade to whatever it's added to. It turns ordinary Rice Krispie Treats into gourmet, extraordinary Rice Krispie Treats. Once you try these you will likely agree that marshmallows and coconut were made to go together. Try these soon because I'm nearly certain you're going to fall in love with these irresistibly delicious and incredibly quick and easy White Chocolate Coconut Rice Krispie Treats! 

White Chocolate Coconut Rice Krispie Treats
Yields about 15 squares


Ingredients:
3 Tbsp butter
1 (10 oz) bag marshmallows - about 40 large marshmallows or 4 cups miniature
1/2 tsp coconut extract
5 1/2 cups Rice Krispies Cereal
1/2 cup chopped macadamia nuts (optional)
3/4 cup white chocolate chips
2/3 cup shredded sweetened coconut, toasted (I crumbled mine up a little after toasting)


Directions:
Grease an 11x7 baking dish, set aside. Melt butter in a large non-stick saucepan over medium heat. Add marshmallows and cook, stirring constantly until marshmallows have completely melted. Remove from heat and whisk in coconut extract. Add Rice Krisipies cereal and optional macadamia nuts and toss mixture until evenly coated. Pour mixture into prepared baking dish and using a buttered spatula, spread and gently press mixture into an even layer. 
Melt white chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl on 50% power, in 30 second intervals, stirring after each interval until melted and smooth. Spread melted white chocolate evenly over Rice Krispie Treats. Sprinkle with toasted coconut and gently press coconut into melted white chocolate. Cover baking dish with plastic wrap and allow chocolate to set and harden at room temperature before cutting into squares (alternately you could speed up the process by placing them in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes to set) or cut and serve immediately for ooey gooey marshmallow, melty white chocolate Rice Krispie Treats (my favorite, but I love melted candy bars so maybe don't go with my judgement =).


Recipe Source: Cooking Classy

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites

Oh I don't even know where to start with these bad boys! This is one of my favorite posts yet! I had family over today and served these for dessert, I think they went quicker than any dessert I've ever made. Who doesn't love cookie dough? Okay okay so truthfully I wasn't that into it (what was wrong with me!? =) until just a few months ago, then I got a more refined palate and became obsessed with it, and now with these I'm dangerously addicted. I can't stop eating them!
Of course I made these to be egg free, and to replace the moisture from the lack of eggs (I also didn't want to add more than a stick of butter) I decided to add what better than heavy cream! My life motto: every things better with cream haha kidding (kind of). If it wasn't so fattening I'd pour cream over my cold cereal replacing milk for breakfast, I love the stuff. The cream gives these cookie dough bites the perfect texture. Ah don't you just wish you had one now to sink your teeth into and let it slowly melt in your mouth? So go make them, you won't regret it (well maybe you will a little when you can't stop eating them... but it's worth it. I'd rather run a few extra miles to enjoy a few more of these).
Make these and where ever you take them they will be worth more than gold, seriously they should replace money. Bonus, less waiting for baked cookies and less mess. I'm going to be seeing a lot of these around my place.
Note: I know many cookie dough truffles/bites use mini chocolate chips but I never keep the minis on hand that's why I used regular chocolate chips and just chopped them up a bit. Plus I love how it gave them the little slivers of chocolate throughout the cookie dough bites, but if you don't want to do the chopping and you have minis feel free to use that. You could even use mini M&M's. I listed in the recipe my personal preference which is half milk chocolate chips half semi-sweet but if you prefer one over the other then use that. Add extra if you'd like too. Enjoy! Hide them from everyone, I think next time I'm going to. Sometimes, just sometimes it's okay to be greedy =).

Creepy, do you see the little guy looking up saying "eat me"?

 Now I can't stop looking at it...

 That serving will be mine...

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites
Yields about 30 (so barely enough for 2 people =)


Ingredients:
1/2 cup salted butter, softened
3/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar*
1/4 tsp salt
3 Tbsp heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup milk chocolate chips, chopped (the idea is to get them to be about 1/2 - 1/3 their original size)
1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, chopped


Optional Topping:
1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips


Directions:
In the bowl of an electric mixer, whip together butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar and salt until pale and fluffy about 3 - 4 minutes. Stir in cream and vanilla extract. Add in flour and mix just until combine (dough will seem dry at first but it will come together). Mix in chopped chocolate chips. Scoop dough out 1 equal tablespoon at a time and roll into balls. Place on parchment or wax paper. If drizzling with chocolate, place 1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips in a microwave safe container and microwave on 50% power in 30 second intervals, stirring after each interval until melted and smooth. Pour melted chocolate into a small ziploc bag, seal bag and cut a very small tip off the corner of the bag. Drizzle chocolate over tops of truffles. Place truffles in freezer for several minutes until chocolate sets and hardens (mine only took about 3 minutes), then enjoy! For more firm cookie dough bites, chill 1 hour in refrigerator. Store in refrigerator in an airtight container.


*for an even creamier truffle omit 2 Tbsp of the granulated sugar and replace it with 2 Tbsp coffee creamer powder. It's delicious!


Recipe Source: Cooking Classy

Cookies and Cream Chex Mix

Don't worry people, yes Cookies and Cream Chex Mix was a limited edition (Dear General Mills, why would you make the best Chex Mix you've ever created a limited edition?) but the good news, I've figured out how to make them at home! And it's so easy and think they are even better (everything fresh home-made is better isn't it?). Also, I never thought I'd say it but these are even better than muddy buddies! I could eat the whole batch on my own. It takes 4 ingredients and they can honestly be made in under 5 minutes! I made these twice in the last two days (yeah they are that good), the second time around I did an equal ratio powdered sugar to Oreo and it was perfect. I ate these while eating cookies and cream ice cream and I think I may just like these more, that is SERIOUSLY saying something! How could one of my easiest recipes be one of my favorite =)? Sometimes the simplest things are the best. Warning: the following recipe is highly addictive, prepare at your own risk.

Cookies and Cream Chex Mix

Ingredients:

6 cups Corn Chex Cereal

1/2 cup very finely crushed Oreos (8 original Oreos)*

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 (12 oz) bag Vanilla Candy Melts, such as Wilton

Directions:

Measure 6 cups Corn Chex Cereal into a large mixing bowl, set aside. Pour crushed Oreos and powdered sugar into a large ziploc bag, seal bag and shake to combine mixture, set aside. In a microwave safe bowl, melt Vanilla candy melts in 30 second intervals, stirring after each interval until melted and smooth. Pour melted candy melts over Corn Chex and toss mixture with a rubber spatula until evenly coated (scrapping down the sides of the bowl as stirring, don't waste any of that melted candy). Pour or scoop coated Corn Chex into ziploc bag containing crushed Oreo mixture. Seal bag and shake until the cereal is evenly coated. Store in an airtight container up to one week (but don't kid yourself they won't be around for a week =).

*when I say very finely crushed I mean very finely crushed, as in nearly powder. It's the larger clumps that will tend not to stick the the coated cereal.

Recipe Source: Cooking Classy

Muddy Buddy Rice Krispie Treats

Two of my all time favorite treat are Muddy Buddies and Rice Krispie Treats. Who doesn't love the both of them? I've been making each of them since I was little and I could barely reach the counter to prepare them. Recently I was thinking rather than always having to choose one over the other I would just combine the two into one, because after all they both begin with rice cereal so they do have something in common. Let me just say these are seriously delicious! Now you, like me, wont have to choose one treat over the other, with these you get two in one. Got to love that! Enjoy!


Muddy Buddy Rice Krispie Treats
Yields 16


Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter
1 (10.5 oz) package miniature marshmallows
6 cups Rice Krispies Cereal


1 cup milk chocolate or semi sweet chocolate chips (I like milk chocolate chips)
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup powdered sugar


Directions:
Butter a 13x9 baking dish, set aside. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium low heat. Add in marshmallows and cook, stirring constantly until marshmallows have melted. Remove from heat and stir in Rice Krispies Cereal. Pour Rice Krispie Treats into prepared baking dish and spread into an even layer using a buttered spatula.
In a microwave safe bowl, combine chocolate chips and peanut butter. Microwave mixture on HIGH power in 30 second intervals stirring after each interval until melted and smooth. Stir in vanilla. Pour melted chocolate mixture over Rice Krispie Treats and spread into an even layer. Using a fine mesh sieve, sprinkle powdered sugar over chocolate layer. Cut into squares, store in an airtight container.


Recipe Source: Cooking Classy