Recipe: Dark Chocolate Dipped Apples

DARK CHOCOLATE DIPPED APPLES

6 medium apples (such as Braeburn, Fuji, or Gala)
6 wooden sticks
1/3 cup sliced almonds, chopped pistachios, and/or chopped walnuts, toasted
1/3 cup snipped dried cranberries
4 ounces bittersweet or dark chocolate, chopped
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped (or 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground anise seed (optional)
2 ounces white chocolate, chopped (optional)

Wash and dry apples. Remove stems. Insert one wooden stick into the stem end of each apple. Set aside.* (If desired, chill apples in the refrigerator. Chocolate clings better to cold apples.)

Place nuts and cranberries in a deep bowl; set aside.

In a heavy small saucepan, melt bittersweet chocolate, semisweet chocolate, cinnamon, and, if desired, anise seeds over low heat until melted, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.

Dip the bottom half of each apple into the chocolate, using a spoon, if necessary, to spread the mixture evenly over the apple. Allow excess chocolate mixture to drip off. Immediately dip apples into almonds and dried cranberries. Place apples, nut sides down, on waxed paper for 30 minutes or until set. Discard any remaining chocolate mixture.

If desired, in a heavy small saucepan, melt white chocolate over low heat, stirring constantly.

Transfer (slightly cooked) melted chocolate to a small plastic bag. Snip a small hole in one corner of the bag.

Hold apples by sticks and drizzle white chocolate over the coated portion of apples. Return apples to waxed paper and let stand at room temperature 30 minutes or in the refrigerator 15 minutes or until white chocolate is set.

Makes 6 apples.
Serving size: 1 dipped apple

Per apple: 239 cal., 11 g total fat (5 g sat. fat), 0 mg chol., 3 mg sodium, 40 g carb., 6 g fiber, 3 g pro.

Source: Recipe booklet: Better Homes and Gardens Heart Healthy Living, Fall 2009, Marsha McCulloch, M.S., R.D., L.D