Wicked witch apples

Making these is a job for adults as the toffee will be very hot.

MAKES 8 PREP 20 mins COOK 10 mins EASY V

8 red apples 400g caster sugar 1 tsp lemon juice 4 tbsp golden syrup

red or black food colouring red or black food glitter (optional) you will need

8 sturdy, clean twigs or lolly sticks

1 Pull any stalks off the twigs and push the sharpest end of each stick (or the lolly sticks) into the stalk-end of each apple, making sure it is firmly wedged in. Put a large piece of baking parchment onto a wooden board.

2 Tip the sugar into a large saucepan and add the lemon juice and 100ml water. Bring to a simmer and cook until the sugar has dissolved. Swirl the pan gently to move the sugar around, but don’t stir. Add the golden syrup and bubble the mixture (be careful it doesn’t boil over) until it reaches 'hard crack' stage or 150C on a sugar thermometer. If you don't have a thermometer, test the toffee by dropping a small amount into cold water. It should harden instantly and, when removed, be brittle. If it's soft, continue to boil. When it's ready, drip in some food colouring and swirl to combine. Add the glitter, if using, and turn off the heat.

3 Working quickly, dip each apple into the toffee, tipping the pan to cover all the skin. Lift out and allow any excess to drip off before putting on the baking parchment. Repeat with the remaining apples. Gently heat the toffee again if you need to. Best eaten on the same day.

GOOD TO KNOW vegan • low fat • 1 of 5-a-day • gluten free PER SERVING 282 kcals • fat none • saturates none • carbs 68g • sugars 68g • fibre 2g • protein none • salt 0.1g