With the crisp fall weather and Halloween approaching, what better time to experiment with caramel coated apples. Apples are abundant this time of year, so we gathered a few of our favorite varieties. Sorghum syrup is making a big comeback and we love using it in caramel, for that extra touch of sweetness. We cut our apples into slices to get more caramel in each bite, but you could also use whole apples for a more traditional approach.
The sorghum we carry is from Bourbon Barrel Foods of Kentucky. Estate grown and hand harvested, it is earthy and sweet with a hint of exotic spice. With another nod to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, we put a slight twist on these seasonal treats by sprinkling them with Bourbon Smoked Sea Salt and chopped pistachios. To make this recipe more kid friendly, substitute the sea salt and pistachios for chopped peanuts or popcorn.
Sorghum Bourbon Salted Caramel Apple Bites
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup sorghum syrup
- 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
- 7 oz sweetened condensed milk
- 4 apples (any type is fine, we used a variety)
- Bourbon Barrel Smoked Sea Salt
- Chopped pistachios
- Wooden Skewers
- candy thermometer
- 1 can of sprite or ginger ale
- Wash apples and slice into 6-8 pieces each.
- Fill a mixing bowl with the sprite or ginger ale. Soak the apples while you prepare the caramel. This will keep them from browning.
- Combine the brown sugar, sorghum and butter in a non-stick saucepan and heat on medium until the butter melts, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Add the condensed milk, bring to a simmer and cook about 1 minute. Lower the heat and continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the temperature reads 240 degrees F on a candy thermometer, about 20 minutes.
- Let the mixture stand for 5 minutes before dipping the apple slices.
- Remove the apple slices from the soda and place on a paper towel to drain. Skewer each slice. Dip each slice in the caramel. Allow the excess caramel to drip off. While the caramel is still wet, sprinkle lightly with bourbon smoked sea salt or dip into a pile of chopped pistachios. Rest the dipped apple slices on a sheet of wax paper until completely cooled.
