You wowed the grandchildren by taking them to pick apples at the orchard. Now, what to do with that bushel of juicy McIntoshes once you've returned to the old abode?
Well, you could chop them up into a healthy, low-sugar applesauce. But there's only so much applesauce one can eat. Another tasty option? Bake them whole with a dried fruit and brown sugar mix in the center. Still, there's only one fail-proof type of preparation that's a winner with kids nationwide: Making candy apples.
They bring back memories of county fairs and amusement parks, and offer a hint of nutrition to that guilty pleasure known as sugar. Yes, we're talking about traditional, old-fashioned red candy apples — the kind that crackle as your teeth grip the shell.
Frances Di Fede of Yonkers, N.Y., has been making candy apples with her grandchildren for some ten years. "I do all the preparation before my grandchildren arrive," she says. "I wash about two dozen apples. While the syrup is boiling, I cover pizza pans with a fat-free spray. You have to start early. The syrup I buy from the supermarket takes 40 minutes to cook. It's tough keeping kids occupied that long!"
Then, Di Fede invites her grandchildren to dig their hands into the fun. They place the apples on pans and push miniature sticks into them. Then, they carefully dip them into the syrup and twirl them around before plunging the apples into cold water to help them set.
Buy bags of apples that are all about the same size, suggests Di Fede. Her favorites? McIntosh and Red Delicious. You can also troll the farmers' market for juicy local varieties that will add a tart balance to the sugary sweetness.
Caramel
Other bakers may prefer caramel to candy apples. Add variation by letting your grandchildren dip the caramel-coated apples into melted chocolate. Then, have them roll over the apples in chopped-up nuts or candy bars for an extra-special treat.
New York-based nutritionist Kate O'Keefe enjoys a good candy apple as much as the rest of us. Plus, she says, there is a way to lower the guilt quotient while still getting plenty of the taste we love. "Any recipe I've seen contains tons of sugar. But, try melting dark chocolate, dipping the apples into that and then rolling them in coconut. You still have sugar, but you get the antioxidant benefits of the dark chocolate. It looks great, too!"
To further satisfy those little taste buds, here's an easy twist on an old favorite recipe. When making this treat, get your grandchildren to pitch in to wash and prepare the apples and layer them in bowls.
Apple-Caramel Crunch
2 tablespoons of margarine (or butter, if you're feeling decadent!)
2 tablespoons of brown sugar
4 cups of apples (slightly tart work best, as to contrast with toppings), cored and thinly sliced
Tub of ice cream (vanilla or another family favorite)
Jar of caramel sauce (or you can melt caramel candies instead)
Crunchy Topping of Your Choice: Chopped nuts or Heath bar, crumbled cookies, granola ... whatever you prefer.
1. Melt the margarine (or butter) and add the sugar.
2. Stir apples into the mixture and cook for a few minutes until they have softened.
3. Put a dollop of ice cream into each dish then top with apples, caramel, and the crunchy topping.
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