Apples and Pumpkins oh my!

I love cooking and baking with apples and pumpkins.  There are so many fantastic recipes that it drives me crazy I don't have enough time to make them all.  Ignoring the fact that all those calories would be detrimental to my waistline, I suppose it is a good thing I don't have enough time.

One of my favorite traditions is to make homemade caramel apples. I am not meaning just caramel; I'm talking gourmet with chocolate, white chocolate and toppings to boot Caramel Apples.  I have been making Caramel Apples for years.

In spite of my experience, when I saw a pin for similar Caramel Apples on Pinterest, I pinned it.  I have to say I liked what she had to say on that web site.  Most of her ideas I knew but some were new, for example: her idea of using squeeze bottles for adding drizzled chocolate.  However I am not convinced I want to do that due to clean up.  I use plastic baggies then toss them when finished, a lot easier in my opinion.

Here is the web site I pinned http://www.theyummylife.com/Gourmet_Caramel_Apples.

Here are my photos and tips...

 I love this tip of making your crock pot into a double broiler.  It works real slick.

 I say to my kids all the time, "You are limited only by your imagination" and that is true when it comes to toppings.  The toppings I have here are crunched up oreos (both traditional and pumpkin spice), crunched up butterfingers, toffee bits, Jet-Puffed Mallow Bits from Kraft (super small marshmallows and crunchy; the way I like them) and coconut.  Other toppings I used but not in the picture are M&Ms and nuts. Jenn says her favorite is pretzels, looks like I am making caramel apples again, oh bummer.

Here is an option if you don't have squeeze bottles

or want easy clean up, a sandwiche plastic bag.
Since S Since I don't have the squeeze bottles I used the zip baggies, where you clip one corner.  I think for now I will stick with this techniques for simplicity sake.


My most recently discovered tip is to squeeze all your leftover melted chocolate into a bowl with plastic wrap over it.  Then all you do is wrap it up and let it harden.  Take it out of the bowl for easy storage and the next time you want melted chocolate it is easy to transfer it to the container you are using.

Finally, eating the apples off the stick is far too difficult, slice it up as if it did not have the carmel and chocolate goodness on it and share it with a friend (or not)!  These make GREAT teacher gifts!!!