• Traditions Salted caramel toffee apples

This modern take on toffee apples is a sticky, sugary heaven for children – and a salt-laced caramel treat for grown-ups

Makes 10

10 apples (Granny Smiths work well) Toffee apple sticks* 300g light brown sugar 3 tbsp maple syrup 6 tbsp golden syrup 220g unsalted butter 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 heaped tsp flaked salt

Cook’s note Unlike traditional toffee apples, getting a caramel sauce to stick to the apples is a little more tricky. You need a sugar thermometer and to work really quickly when dipping. It may require a little more effort but the result is worth it. The apples will keep in cellophane bags for 2–3 days.

1 Wash apples, dry thoroughly, remove stalks and replace with sticks. Place the fruit in the fridge (washing and chilling helps the sauce to stick).

2 Line a baking tray with baking parchment. Into a large pan, add the sugar, maple syrup, golden syrup, butter and vanilla, and stir over a medium heat until the sugar has dissolved – around 15 mins.

3 Add the thermometer, increase the heat, bringing the mixture to a rolling boil, stirring slowly but constantly until the temperature reaches 113C (around 10 mins).

4 Carefully pour the caramel into a glass bowl, stir in the salt. Add the thermometer and allow the caramel to cool to 99C (this should take around 10–15 mins).

5 Have your apples and baking tray ready and, working really quickly, submerge each apple into the caramel, twist, ensuring all but the top is covered and place on your baking tray.

6 Continue until all the apples are done. You can then go back and tidy up the bottom of each apple: either press into shape or scrape off excess caramel if you so wish.

7 If the temperature cools too much the caramel will slide straight off, so you may need to reheat and recool the remaining caramel to finish coating your fruit.

8 If you’re making these ahead and want to package them, allow the coated apples to set first (around 2–3 hours); store in the fridge.

* Toffee apple sticks are a seasonal supermarket buy, or look online for confectionary or lolly sticks; skewers work, too.