CANDIED APPLES

6 medium apples
6 wooden skewers
2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups corn syrup
1/3 cup cinnamon candies (red hots)
1 cup water
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp ground cloves
3/4 tsp red food coloring

Remove stems from apples, wash, and pat dry. Insert a wooden skewer in each apple, running through the apple from stem end to base without protruding all the way through the bottom end.

Combine sugar, corn syrup, cinnamon candies, and 1 cup water in medium-sized saucepan. Cook until candies dissolve, stirring constantly. Be careful not to boil.

Add cinnamon, vanilla, cloves, and food coloring. Mix thoroughly. Boil mixture to 300 degrees using a candy thermometer without stirring.

While mixture is boiling, generously prepare a baking sheet with cooking spray so it's ready ahead of time.

As soon as mixture reaches 300 degrees, remove it from heat and quickly dip each apple-one by one-into the mixture until it is thoroughly coated.

Set coated apples, standing on their bottoms with skewer pointing up, on baking sheet until mixture hardens.

Let apples reach room temperature before eating.

Makes 6
Source: The Halloween Book by Jane Bull