Tiny Toffee Apples

I was going to save this until next Halloween, but what’s a little hot toffee apple between friends?

• 1 Bag of Small Cox Apples – about 10
• 1 Handful of stolen McDonalds Coffee Stirrers
• 400 g Caster Sugar
• 100 ml Water
• 1 Teaspoon Vinegar
• 4 Tbsp Golden Syrup
• A Jam Thermometer

1. Wash the apples in very hot water and rub dry with a cloth. This is to wash the wax off which will stop your toffee sticking.
2. Poke sticks into the apples and sit them on a baking tray covered in baking parchment.
3. Heat the sugar and water on a medium heat in a heavy pan.
4. When the sugar is all dissolved add the vinegar and syrup.
5. Put the thermometer in the pan and boil until it reaches 140 degrees or ‘Hard Crack’ on the thermometer *giggle* My thermometer says Hard Crack is 155 so I went for 145. It takes a bit of good hard boiling to get there.
6. Dip and swirl your apples quickly, but VERY carefully!
7. Allow the excess to drip off then place them on the paper to set.
8. Pour any spare toffee onto a greased tray for nibbling later.

This makes the crackliest shiny toffee coating: So sharp I cut my tongue on it.

The toffee gets stickier the longer you leave the apples out, so eat them all as fast as you can.