
Lyle's Tremendous Toffee Apples
Crisp crunch; sugar coating - toffee apples even better than you remember. With the inimitable taste of Lyle's.
CATEGORIES:
- sweet treats
- halloween
- afternoon tea
- snacks
- dessert
Serves
8
PREP TIME
20 minutes
COOK TIME
20-23 minutes
INGREDIENTS
- 8 small Cox or Granny Smith apples
- 400g (14oz) Tate & Lyle Golden Fairtrade Caster Sugar
- 120ml (4floz) water
- 4 tbsp Lyle's Golden Syrup
- 50g (2oz) unsalted butter
INSTRUCTIONS
The kids are sure to love these, but for once don't let them help in the kitchen, as the hot caramel requires careful handling...
- Pop the apples in a large bowl, pour over boiling water to cover and then quickly pour it off. This takes off any wax coating from the apples and will help the toffee to stick.
- Polish dry, twist off the stalks and push wooden ice lolly sticks halfway into the core of the apples from the stalk end.
- Combine the Golden Caster Sugar and water in a large heavy-based pan and stir constantly over a low heat with a wooden spoon for about 5 minutes until the sugar has dissolved.
- Add the Lyle's Golden Syrup and butter and stir until melted and combined. Bring to the boil without stirring, otherwise the sugar may crystallise, until the mixture reaches 149°-154°C (300°-310°F - the hard-crack stage) for about 15-18 minutes. (If you don't have a thermometer, check the toffee is ready by dropping a teaspoon of the mixture into a bowl of cold water. It should harden instantly, and when removed, be brittle and easy to break. If you can still squash it, continue to boil.)
- Remove the pan from the heat, let the bubbles subside a little, then tilt the pan, and quickly and carefully dip the apples one at a time in the toffee. Twirl as you dip, to completely cover. Let any excess drip away before placing on a parchment-lined baking tray to harden. If you find the toffee becomes too thick because the temperature has dropped, simply heat again.
- Once set, store the toffee apples in an airtight container in a dry place, not the fridge, and eat within 24 hours or the toffee will soften and start to liquefy.
CHEF'S TIP
Share these treats around - kids love them (whatever their age).