Once a year

Once  year I take fresh Fuji apples

and a bag of Carmels

and some chocolate

add in some toasted almonds

and I make Chocolate Covered Caramel Apples.  Oh Yea!

These things are just over the moon good.  The addition of the toasted almonds and the chocolate put an ordinary caramel apple on another level.  So, so good.

And, once a year I live through harvest.  We live with almond orchards on three sides of our property.  This season every year the farmers harvest their almonds.  What this means to me is dust, well really it is dirt.  Lots and lots of dirt.

The haze you see here is not smoke or fog, but dirt stirred up by the harvest equipment.

This dirt seems endless, and in reality for about six to eight weeks every year it is endless.  It just hangs in the air, on the cars, sidewalks, trees, and oh yes, in my house.  There is a difference between dust and dirt, and while I try to keep both in check, the dirt caused by harvest just about has me done in for this season.  I am ready for it to rain, settle the dust, and clean everything off.

But, enough about harvest and dirt, let's get back to the Chocolate covered Caramel Apples.

If you are so inclined to make them, here are a few tips I have learned over the years.

First off, wash the apples.  Not just wash them, but drop them in a pot of simmering (low boiling) water for a few seconds.  Sounds crazy, but there is often a wax coating they put on produce that will make the caramel not stick well to the apples.

Another good idea is do not poke a stick into the apples.  This keeps the juice in, and other stuff out of the apple.  Along with this tip, don't cover the entire apple in caramel, but leave a small bit of apple uncovered.  I'm not sure why this is important, but I read it somewhere, and it seems to work well.

I like the Kraft caramels, and while I often buy out of the bulk bins, and once I even made my own caramel, for taste and ease for me, the Kraft Caramels are the best for apples.  Maybe because it is what I grew up with.  I melt the caramel in the microwave, just until it is melted and I can stir it easily.  It is maybe too thick to actually dip the apples into, and really without a stick in the apple they are difficult to dip at all.  I spread the caramel on with a spatula, and then set the apples upside down on a wax paper lined tray.

When I have covered all the apples, and they have cooled a bit, I turn them right side up, and put them in the refrigerator while I melt the chocolate.

I treat the chocolate the same way I did the caramel, spread it on with a spatula, and you can expect to get a bit messy here, I haven't figured a way around that yet.  While the chocolate is still melted, roll the whole mess in chopped toasted almonds.  Set on wax paper covered tray, and refrigerate.

Now, just in case you are wondering how in the world you even begin to eat one of these things, I recommend you cut them into wedges.  Much easier to enjoy this way.

If you have never eaten one of these delicious treats, I highly recommend you try one.  

If you do make these let me know, I will share in your pleasure.

I appreciate you checking in.

Esther