jelly apples

Jelly Apples

Nothing brings out the kid in me faster than a jelly apple, also known as a candy apple.

Now, I don't mean to disparage caramel apples—I'm a huge fan—but something about that shiny red translucent shell is irresistible.

For Simchat Torah, jelly apples are a necessity. From what I can decipher, the tradition arose from a desire to get children excited for the holiday, with the idea that Torah should taste sweet in their mouths. Because what's it all for, if not to ensure that the next generation will carry on a peoplehood that's existed for 3,500 years.

Memories of William's Candy Store on Surf Avenue in Coney Island loom large in my consciousness.

Nothing. Compares.

Open the door to the shop, and even before your eyes fix themselves upon the gorgeous selection in the glass display case, the smell will practically knock you over. It's the scent of pure, unadulterated sugar. Meaning, it instantly un-adulterates you and re-enchilds you.

My parents would take us to William's at the end of a day of rides, after feasting on hot dogs and fries at Nathan's, and we'd eat them in the car on our way home. Later, as a grownup, I discovered that there was nothing better for settling the stomach after 5 consecutive rides on the Cyclone.

Even when I lived in Pennsylvania, someone from our little shul would drive 2 1/2 hours to Brooklyn, to pick up the case of jelly apples that we'd pre-ordered.

But Brooklyn is just too far from my home in Central Florida. I had to learn to make them myself.

Truth be told, both of these confections can be very disappointing. And what's more disappointing than a substandard caramel or candy apple? Sadly, they abound.                           

The secret is the same as for any other dish—quality of ingredients. If you start with a mealy apple, you're lost before you begin. They must be fresh. As for caramel apples, they can be made with melted store-bought caramels, and that's fine, but it doesn't compare to homemade caramel. Making caramel is fairly simple.

But, let's talk jelly apples. You don't want the candy to be too soft and sticky; you also don't want it to be hard as concrete, so controlling the temperature of the sugar is critical. Be sure to grab your trusty candy thermometer.

I'm not a fan of corn syrup, but in developing what is to me the perfect jelly apple recipe, I quickly learned that corn syrup is a must for fool proof, consistent results. I tried to avoid it, but there was no other way that I could find to stabilize the sugar so that it doesn't dissolve and drip off at the slightest hint of humidity. Even with the corn syrup, they're very sensitive to humidity.

The perfect apple for candy apples is crisp and juicy, a combination of sweet and tart. See what's available in your market. Choose apples that are small/medium in size, are free of bruises, and are reasonably symmetrical in shape.

You also want the candy shell to be flavorful. For this I turn to LorAnn flavoring oils. All of their flavors are great, but a few stand out for jelly apples. My favorite is to combine a few drops of raspberry with a few drops each of cinnamon and toffee flavorings, for a delicious, complex flavor.

Then there's the coloring. This is one of those rare places where I use food coloring. I know, it's not the healthiest choice, but I don't use much and I don't use it often. Moderation, right? Jelly apples need to be a bright, vibrant red. Unless you want to make them spooky, in which case you can add a bit of black food coloring to the red. And I must admit that sky blue and lilac candy apples are very pretty. It's your food. Play with it.

Make sure you have caramel apple sticks. These are sturdy and pointed at one end. Lollypop sticks won't cut it. Literally. Get the plain wooden ones, or go for the bling with fancy rhinestone covered sticks, which you can find on Amazon.

A perfect jelly apple is perfect by itself, but I can't resist painting the lily. Consider rolling them in sweetened shredded coconut, sprinkles of any kind, or crushed toffee. For Simchat Torah, I go with blue and white pearl sprinkles.

Jelly (Candy) Apples

Stuff you need to prevent frustration—candy thermometer, candy/caramel apple sticks, cellophane treat bags with twist ties, silica jell packs.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups white sugar

• 1/2 cup light corn syrup

• 1 cup water

• red (or other) gel food coloring

• flavorings of choice (oil based, such as LorAnn)

• 6-10 apples, depending upon size. Choose apples that are crisp and juicy with a nice balance of sweet to tart.

• Candy apple sticks

Method:

• In a smallish sauce pan (a pot that is wide will make it harder to coat the apples), combine the sugar, corn syrup, and water. Stir to combine.

• Place the pot over medium heat and set up your candy thermometer. The mixture will melt and then come to a boil. Once boiling, do not stir! Let the syrup cook until the thermometer reaches 300° F, "hard crack." Instantly remove the pot from the heat and stir in your food coloring and your flavoring. The amount of coloring will depend upon the type/brand that you use. Start with a bit and add more if needed. The same goes for the flavorings—start with a bit, taste, and add more if needed. The LorAnn flavorings are very intense and only require a few drops.

• While the candy is cooking, prepare the apples: Bring 6 cups of water to boil and add a tablespoon of white vinegar. Submerge the apples one at a time, for about 5 seconds each, and then dry them with paper towels and set them aside. This will remove the food grade wax that commercial apples are coated with. That wax will prevent the candy from clinging to the apples.

• Prepare a flat dish or pan by covering it with parchment paper and spritzing it with non-stick spray.

• Stick the pointy ends of the sticks into the apples, from the bottom. Be careful not to go all the way up to the stems, but go far enough so that they are stable.

• Once your candy is ready, you want to work quickly so that your apples are all dipped before the candy begins to harden. (If that accidentally happens, return the pot to the burner just long enough for the candy to melt again. One at a time, hold an apple by its stich and, with the pot tilted, swirl the apple until it's well coated. Hold it over the pot for the excess to drip off, then set it on the prepared pan to harden.

• Humidity is a jelly apple's worst enemy. If the room you're storing them in is humid, the candy will melt off and pool into a sticky mess. It's best to keep them in the fridge, but a refrigerator is a very humid place. Here's what to do—allow the apples to completely harden and cool, then wrap them individually in cellophane treat bags and tie them tightly with twist ties. You can then add a decorative ribbon if you wish to do so. For extra protection, place the wrapped apples in an air-tight container with a few of those silica jell packs, and then put the container in the fridge.