The Best Apples To Use When Making Caramel Apples
Just like with romantic relationships, "Star Wars" spin-offs, and TikTok dances, there truly is no accounting for taste when it comes to all the world's possible flavor combinations. Something you find odious might taste awesome to the next guy. Nostalgia, personal history, a little pretension and, of course, differences in the intensity with which various people perceive sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami sensations all play a part. Which is all to say, you can theoretically make caramel apples with any handheld, shiny fruit strain you desire.
Hot for Honeycrisp, gaga for Gala, or mad for classic McIntosh? Go bananas. However, as with all of the above, there are some technical elements that will simply produce a better caramel apple, individual preference aside. The perfect caramel apple will achieve a sugary, tart balance. That's why it's always best to rely on Granny when whipping up a batch. Granny Smith apples, that is.
Why Granny Smith apples are the best type to coat with caramel
If you're making caramel apples, you're probably doing so for a group. Ergo, rather than catering to one person's possibly niche opinion, you're aiming to create a fairly neutral finished product with broad appeal. And, rather than the one-two confectionery punch something like a Fuji, the sweetest apple variety, will deliver, most folks will expect and even favor the more contrasting candy-to-fruit profile that a Granny Smith apple will most reliably provide. Its relative tartness to caramel is also why the Granny Smith pops up in sweet baked goods like pies so frequently.
Once you've picked a pack of the medium-sized green apples, the real work begins. Although they needn't be as perfect as a bunch for, say, a centerpiece or still-life model, you should avoid any that are obviously bruised to achieve that uniformly crisp, peak texture. You'll also want to scrub off any shelf-stabilizing wax coating the apples that can inhibit the caramel from properly adhering. Then, you can pierce the apples with sticks, melt down a bag of caramel cubes, coat, cool, and serve.