Halloween Candy Apples
Halloween is celebrated every October 31st and has roots in the Celtic festival, Samhain (old Irish meaning “summer’s end”). The ancient Celts believed that the border between this world and the after world became thin on Samhain, allowing spirits (both harmless and harmful) to pass through. The family’s ancestors were honored and invited home whilst harmful spirits were warded off. It is believed that the need to ward off harmful spirits led to the wearing of costumes and masks. Their purpose was to disguise oneself as a harmful spirit and thus avoid harm. In Scotland the spirits were impersonated by young men dressed in white with masked, veiled or blackened faces. Irish immigrants carried versions of the tradition to North America during Ireland’s Great Famine of the 1840s.
It’s interesting to note that the Chinese have a similar festival every August called, Festival of The Hungry Ghosts. This is when the spirits of the dead wander the earth. During this inauspicious time they suspend all important activities and decisions. To appease these ghosts, food is offered to keep them happy and away from their homes. The Festival of the Hungry Ghost also shares some similarities with the predominantly Mexican observance of Day of the Dead (El Día de los Muertos).
In Canada, it’s a time for children of all ages, adults too, to dress up and go trick or treating in your neighborhood. Some adults will hosts parties and night clubs will have a themed Halloween night, but the vast majority will be out wandering the streets on the night of the 31st. I am new to the neighborhood and my neighbors told me that I can expect around 150 kids to come to the front door looking for treats! It’s the wee ones I get a kick out of because of what they’re wearing and that they don’t really know why they’re out but they do know that every home offers them candy of sorts.
Makes 8-10 medium sized apples
recipe from Matt Bites
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8-10 wooden twigs, twimmed
3 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 cup of water
several drops of cinnamon flavored oil
1/4 teaspoon of red food coloring
1/4 teaspoon of black food coloring
Clean and dry the apples. Try to remove as much of the wax as possible. If you purchase them from your local farmer’s market then chances are they have not been treated with the food grade wax that makes then shine. Remove any stems or leaves and insert a twig into the end of each apple. To facilitate easier twig entry you can carefully sharpen the end of the twig or use a candy stick to create a guide hole. Set apples aside.
Heat and stir sugar, corn syrup and water in a saucepan until sugar has dissolved. Boil until the syrup reaches 300 degrees on a candy thermometer. Don’t go over 310f degrees or your candy burns and then you’ll be sad. Remove from heat and stir in flavored oil and food coloring. Dip one apple completely in the syrup and swirl it so that it becomes coated with the melted sugar candy. Hold the apple above the saucepan to drain off excess. Place apple, with the stick facing up, onto a baking sheet that’s greased or lined with a silpat. Repeat the process with the remaining apples. If your syrup thickens or cools too much, simply reheat briefly before proceeding. Let the apples cool completely before serving.
The Culinary Chase’s Note: Matt said the lighter colored apples such as Granny Smith, Golden Delicious, work well in making the red appear bright and glassy. Darker apples like red delicious help the black candy appear darker. If you are finished making red candy apples and there’s syrup left over, add black food coloring for darker apples.