Sweet bliss!

This morning, I am so happy to share the caramel apples that marry dense and buttery caramel made with no refined sugar (honey only!) and no lactose (coconut milk and a bit of grass-fed milk butter) with crisp and refreshing Fuji apples to create what might be my favorite new sweet thing in the world!I used to eat caramel apples in between my two dancing school classes- pointe and jazz- at the local VFW Hall in my small town in Jersey as a little kid.  My grandma would get them from “the boys” who owned a little deli packed with some of the best homemade food I’ve had to date. I would whip the wax-paper-wrapped apple out of my backpack and work my way through it as I did my homework in full 80’s leotard.  Needless to say, when I had to be sugar-free (on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet) to heal my body, I missed things like caramel apples intensely.

Making caramel is not as hard as it seems. In fact, it is ridiculously easy.

My recipe hails from The Urban Poser. She is my goddess of all things Paleo.

I made mine with:

• 2 cans of coconut milk (she uses full fat, but I could only find Light from Trader Joe’s without guar gum- yuck- in it)
• 2 tbs grass fed butter
• 1 tbs of pure vanilla extract (I used a bit more than she does)
• 1 cup of honey (no need to use raw- you are cooking this like crazy!)
• and a pinch of salt. more if your butter is unsalted.

I’d like to send you to her blog to see the proper method right HERE. 

My method was makeshift: I used a heavy bottom steel saute pan instead of a proper pot.  I also didn’t have a thermometer, so I cooked it until I felt it looked “caramel-colored”.   Essentially, I let everything gently boil and left it to gently boil on low heat for 50 minutes while I sat nearby.  The Last 10 minutes I whisked it.  It worked!

That said, THIS method is much more precise. Especially if you are a first-time candy maker!

Once your caramel is cooked up and cooled a tiny bit- (about 10 mins) , beat it up a bit (I used a whisk), and start using it!

In lieu of dipping, I added Popsicle sticks to my giant organic Fujis and spooned on the caramel from the top of the apple, letting it drip down. It was much less daunting for me as a first-timer whose caramel was a bit overcooked and sticky.

They store in the refrigerator to cool… and they will be gone in minutes once set if you are anything like me!

Food that reminds you of your childhood & happy moments is a form of time-travel that you can (and I hope you do!)  indulge in often!  Enjoy! xoxo Dana

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