Sunday, September 26, 2010

caramel apples on a rainy day

After the heat wave that feels like it's lasted for months, we finally received some autumnal weather today. It was, of course, accompanied by rain so we were mostly stuck inside, but the open windows and cool damp breeze were heavenly after the upper 90s of the last week.


Since we had some time on our hands this afternoon, we decided to make some caramel apples with part of the bounty from our apple picking. We pounded some craft sticks in the bottom of a dozen apples (using the bottom of a coffee mug as our hammer).


Then we made the caramel using this recipe. (FYI: This was my first experience using a candy thermometer. I've always shied away from using them, without my grandmother nearby, after hearing all her advice about fudge, like "wait for a cold, clear day". The whole thing seems very specific which, in my mind, translates to "you're definitely going to mess up since you don't follow recipes or directions very well". I have to say it wasn't nearly as scary an experience as I had made it out to be in my head.)


Also, about that recipe, letting the caramel cool to 180° was too much I think. I ended up having to reheat the caramel a bit because it became a big lump that we couldn't roll the apples in. I think next time, I'll pull the pot off the burner and let it cool to 200° then put it on the burner turned as low as the burner will go to keep the caramel from cooling too quickly while we're rolling the apples. The kids were thrilled though so all was well. :)


While their apples cooled enough to eat, they decided to ignore the dripping sky and frolic in the cool, autumn day. They looked so silly in shorts and raincoats and a combination of water shoes, rain boots and snow boots. Whatever works, I guess!


And then I caught them all jumping in the same puddle!


Finn couldn't let them have all the fun in his beloved puddle.


The apples ended up being the perfect after-playing-in-the-rain treat.


Delicious!



6 comments:

  1. Mmmmmmmmm I'll be right over (ha, I wish!) I have been craving caramel apples lately.

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  2. That lloks like fun. We Re expecting some cool weather this week too. Highs in the 80's! That will do for us moms in Alabama, we will take what we can get!

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  3. cute rain photos! kids love playing in the rain. we are in the middle of a heat wave, in the 90s today. i am really looking forward to some cool and wet weather. your apples look delicious... i can almost smell them!
    have a great week
    lisa

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  4. We still haven't gone apple picking but when we do...I may have to give these a try. they look GREAT!!

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  5. Oh, my mouth is watering from just looking at your pictures! Those kids are lucky!!!
    Luciana

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  6. How fun! I love that the recipe you linked to doesn't have any high fructose corn syrup in it. I haven't made caramel apples in a very long time because I couldn't find any good caramel. I will have to try these.

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