Toffee Apples and Maple Praline Nutty Brittle

Toffee Apples and Maple Pralines

Back when I was a kid Halloween was a favourite friend get together with the neighbourhood kids all participating in the celebratory activities. Each adjacent house would decorate some part into a scary ghoulish stage to try and scare the living daylights out of you!  Back then the costumes were simply homemade from a cut out cardboard box silver painted robot to a red paper mache robe and your sisters blue leotards for the Superman look. An old pillow case was the chosen candy tote for the night and trying to fill it with many treats was the priority. The residents of our neighbourhood street would usually make the same treat year after year and I remember receiving popcorn balls, fudge, peanut brittle, brownies and cookies taffy apples and peanut brittle..

Some of these delights were just so good, the kids would go home and put on several different costumes so as to get more than one trip out into the evening. Now a days the store bought candy miniatures have taken over the home made goodies for safety and health reasons. My mom would make treats from tasty Macintosh apples picked from back yard tree. She made these addictive Toffee Apples every year and we would have line ups at the door starting before the sun set. These simple recipe treats can be made for family friends for your next Halloween party instead of buying store bought candies.

Toffee Apples.

2 cups sugar

1 cup water

6 small Macintosh apples, stems removed.

[Make sure they have no wax coating]

1 large bowl of Ice Water

Poke a wooden skewer or stick into the top of each washed apple to form a handle.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly grease. Set aside.

Fill a large bowl with ice and water and place next to stove.

Combine sugar and water in a pot over medium heat and stir until sugar has dissolved.

Simmer mixture until it becomes golden caramel, about 10 minutes or 320 F on a sugar thermometer.

Be extra carful when working with hot sugar.

Immediately place pot into water bath to stop caramel from overcooking.

Quickly, dip apples in caramel to coat and place on the baking sheet. Let sit till the coating has cooled and become dried.        [Makes 6 apples]

This fudge-like candy treat named pralines from the US South has it’s origins in Louisiana.  One of our neighbours made some of this treat and my mother was soon making her own rendition.

She would start the process by toasting almond, peanuts, or pecan halves just before making the canndy and this delectable  flavour would carry on to out side and soon pass my nose which in turn made me drop everything and head into the kitchen to watch her make these  Maple Pralines.

Maple Praline Nutty Brittle

1 cup raw brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

¼ cup of unsalted butter

2 tbs. dark maple syrup

½ cup heavy cream

1 tsp.  pure vanilla extract

1 ½ cups pecan halves or any other unsalted nuts you like.

Toast the nuts on an oven sheet at 350 degrees in the oven for 12 minutes.

Remove from  the oven and let cool.

Combine butter, sugars, maple syrup and cream in a heavy pot over medium heat. Bring to a rolling boil, stirring occasion¬ally. Stir in vanilla and nuts and continue to boil until mix¬ture reaches a soft ball stage or 240 F on a sugar thermometer.

Remove from heat and beat together until mixture lightens in colour and becomes thicker. Working quickly, drop a spoonful onto a tray lined with greased parch¬ment paper. If  the mixture  becomes stiff reheat gently stirring.

Let cool and store in an air tight container.

Have great Halloween.