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Chocolate, Caramel

Poisoned Apples
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Sweet & tart apples, spiked with whiskey soaked cherries then dipped in dark chocolate, sprinkled with cherries and smoky almonds, finished with a buttery caramel sauce & flaky sea salt. 

To Die For

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Directions

If able, soak your cherries 1-2 days before making poisoned apples. If you are rushed for time, cover the cherries with your poison of choice and heat in the microwave to quickly plump up. 

 

Ingredients

Pick Your Poison! 

I used Jack Daniels, single barrel select for this recipe but rums or even brandy would work just as well. Keep in mind which liquors go well with cherries and chocolate when picking your poison and be sure to use a good quality, smooth brand. 

 

Poisoned Cherries

5 ounces dried, sweet cherries

Your desired poison

Mason jar with lid

Cover cherries with whiskey and soak overnight or 1-2 days.

Chopped Cherries & Almonds

1/2 cup sweet, dried cherries

1 cup smoked almonds (Blue Diamond/Smokehouse)

8-10 Pink Lady apples

Vegetable peeler

Fruit corer tool 

Apple branches or preferred sticks

10 ounces dark chocolate, melting wafers (couverture)

 (Ghiradelli brand)

​​​

Caramel Sauce​

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

2 tablespoons corn syrup

1/3 cup cream

4 ounces unsalted butter, room temp

Candy thermometer

Vanilla extract

Flaky sea salt

Chopped Cherries & Almonds

Add the cherries to a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Add the almonds and pulse until everything is chopped small but not too finely chopped.

 

Poisoned Apples

Refer to tutorial photos below.

To remove wax from apples: Fill a sauce pan with water and bring to a slow boil. Add an apple to the water for 10 seconds, and using a spider strainer or similar utensil, remove from water and rub off the wax with paper towels. Repeat​ with remaining apples. 

Poison the apples: Using your corer tool (or vegetable peeler),  press and twist into the center of one side of an apple. Using the vegetable peeler, carefully scrape out the cut section, being careful not to crack the apple. If you're a pro, the fruit corer can be carefully jiggled back and forth while pulling out and the cut part will snap off. 

 

Go in just deep enough so cherry is flush with the top of the apple once inserted. If there's raw apple exposed on top of the apple, the chocolate will be more difficult to stick. If needed, slice cherries to fit properly. Repeat on each side of the apple, totaling 4 holes. If inserting two cherries, you may have to cut to the core, depending on apple size. Once all of your apples are poisoned, melt your chocolate wafers and proceed to the next step.

Chocolate, cherry and almond coating: Add the chocolate wafers to a glass bowl and follow the instructions on bag for melting. 

Dip an apple branch/stick into the melted chocolate and insert into the bottom side of an apple. Tapping the stick with a hammer is very helpful. Spin the sides and top of apple into the chocolate, being sure to cover cherry holes well and spin/shake off excess. Sprinkle the chopped cherries and almonds all over the chocolate, gently pressing as you go. I don't recommend spinning the apple into the mixture, some of the chocolate can fall and clump up. Place the apple on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and repeat with the remaining apples. Once all apples are prepared, place in the refrigerator and start on the caramel sauce. 

Caramel Sauce

Add the sugar, water and corn syrup to a 3-4 quart sauce pan over medium heat and stir. The caramel will boil up once the cream is added, so don't use a smaller sized pan or you may have a mess to clean up. Add the cream to a small pan to bring to a boil when ready to use or pour into a small bowl to be microwaved. Once the ​sugar is melted and smooth, turn the heat on high and let boil, don't stir anymore. Bring your cream to a boil and set aside. Keep an eye on the sugar and as soon as it turns a pale amber color remove from heat and carefully, gradually stir in the cream with the wooden spoon. The caramel will go from pale amber to burnt/dark real quick, so be careful. Start stirring in the butter and once incorporated, add back to the burner over medium heat and cook until it reaches 240F. Pour into a heat proof glass bowl, add the vanilla and a pinch or two of sea salt (to taste) and stir. Let caramel cool some before using. 

Remove apples from refrigerator, spoon on the caramel and lightly sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Refrigerate until ready to serve. 

Click on images to enlarge

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