Honeyed toffee apples
YOU WILL NEED
200g granulated sugar 6 tbsp water 6 small dessert apples Lolly sticks 100g Rowse Honey 1 tsp white wine vinegar
DIRECTIONS
■ Add the sugar and water to a medium saucepan and heat gently until the sugar has completely dissolved, without stirring. Tilt the pan from side to side to encourage any patches of sugar that will not dissolve.
■ While the sugar dissolves, wash and dry the apples thoroughly then press a lolly stick into each one.
■ Add the honey and vinegar to the sugar syrup then increase the heat slightly and cook the syrup, still without stirring, for 4-5 minutes until the syrup begins to darken slightly, and reaches 149°C on a sugar thermometer. Test by dropping a little syrup into a mug of cold water, it will quickly form brittle strands when ready.
■ Take the pan off the heat and stand the pan in a sink filled with 5cm of cold water for a couple of minutes to stop the toffee overheating. Take the pan out of the water then dip the apples into the toffee, one at a time then stand the coated apples on an oiled baking sheet. By the last apple you may need to warm the toffee slightly so it liquefies again. Leave to cool and harden then wrap the toffee apples in squares of cellophane and tie with ribbon.
Recipe and image courtesy of Rowse Honey, rowsehoney.co.uk