Getting sick of Granny Smiths? Try this decadent dip for a real Golden Delicious. This recipe takes a sweet twist on always good-for-you apples. It's cool for an after-school proj with the kids. Wanna score some extra points with the little ones? Bring their fave candy to cover these apples with!

1. First, wash the apples thoroughly and pat dry.  Then turn each apple upside-down and firmly thrust a skewer through the soft flesh of the bottom up towards the stem. Don’t stick it all the way through – but go far enough that the base holds the apple up firmly.

2. Warm up your caramel using the directions for microwave or stovetop on your package (if it calls for heating it over the stove, be sure to float your pan in a larger shallow pan filled with about an inch of water so the caramel does not burn).

3. Wrap a cookie sheet firmly with Saran Wrap, butter the surface, and set aside.

4. Dip your apple into the pan of warmed caramel, using a small spoon to drip the caramel over the apple to cover it completely as you turn it. When it’s covered to your satisfaction, place the apple on your Saran-Wrapped tray. (Hint: if you bring the pot with the apple over to the tray before you transfer it, you’ll prevent the apple from dripping a huge caramel glob onto the floor!) Repeat.

5. Let the apples cool and set for at least 20 minutes. You’ll know the caramel has set when it’s firm and slightly sticky to the touch.

6. Put your chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and warm on low heat for 2-3 minutes. Stir. To prevent the chocolate from burning, continue to heat gradually for 1 minute at a time until the chocolate is smooth and creamy. If it is too thin, add more chocolate to thicken—it needs to stick to the caramel.

7.  Select your favorite candy to cover your apple and place in a bowl. (If the pieces are too large, use a pestle or the back of a flat wooden spoon to crush further.) Line up the chocolate, the crushed candy and the tray, the remove the first apple and start rolling! Don’t worry about messy streaks or splatters when you return them to the tray—just make sure you get the maximum amount of stuff on your crunchy treats.

8. Put the tray in the refrigerator for 20 minutes or so to set. Remove, then enjoy!

1/19/2010 7:00:00 AM