Chocolate Covered Apples: a Gourmet Delight

Chocolate covered apples are sooo yummy! I love making them and I certainly love eating them too. They make the perfect deluxe gift. There are just so many combinations, different types of chocolate white, milk, and dark. Different kinds of toppings, M&Ms_®, Reese's Pieces_®, peanuts, chocolate chips to please anyone who sinks their teeth into one. You can have double layers, white chocolate and caramel and the list goes on.

This delicious work of art is a gourmet candy gift that will lift anyone's spirits in a down day. Since it's not your ordinary, every day gift your mom, grandma, friend or even client's eyes will light up with joy as soon as they see it and will think, "Wow! You really came up with something unique. You really do care. Thank you!"

If you'd like to just purchase some beautiful-looking chocolate covered apples and have them delivered in a decorative gift box then check out both Hannah's Caramel Apples or EdibleGiftsPLUS.

Here's a great easy recipe that anyone can make. If you don't trust yourself check out the list of great suppliers of deluxe chocolate apples listed below.

Caramel Chocolate Covered Apples

Ingredients

4 medium-sized Granny Smith apples
4 lollipop sticks
1 (14 oz.) package of caramels (from baking aisle of supermarket)
2 tablespoons water
1 (14 oz.)package Semi-sweet dark, white or milk chocolate
2 teaspoons of cooking oil
1/2 cup nuts
1/2 cup M&M's or favorite candy topping
Waxed paper or parchment

Directions

Remove stems from apples and insert lollipop sticks into top of apples where stems were.

Combine caramel and water in microwavable bowl and heat for about 1 minute, 10 seconds. Stir until liquid. If still too thick, heat back up in microwave for an additional 10 seconds. Dip one apple by stick into bowl of caramel. Pull apple out of bowl and twirl around completely. Do twice if necessary. Scoop excess caramel from bowl and drop over apple if necessary to add more with a big wooden/plastic spoon. There may be some empty space around stick and that’s fine. Stand upright on cookie sheet covered by wax or parchment paper. Do same process for each apple one at a time. Refrigerate apples for at least 30 minutes. Remove from fridge once caramel is hardened.

Melt dark, white or milk chocolate applying the same previous dipping process again except DO NOT use water, instead add 1 teaspoon of the oil. After removing chocolate from heat and stirring, if chocolate is still too thick then add the other teaspoon of oil and stir. Sprinkle chocolate covered apple with nuts, M&M's or your favorite topping. Place decorated apples onto wax paper, standing upright. Refrigerate for at another 30 minutes or until hardened.

Here's another easy recipe with a unique contrast of sweet caramel and chocolate with sea salt! It's delicious! Make a few for that special person.

Sweet and Salty Caramel Apples

4 medium-sized Granny Smith apples
4 lollipop sticks
1 (14 ounce) package individually wrapped caramels, unwrapped
2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 tablespoons coarse sea salt
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Insert wooden sticks 3/4 of the way into the stem end of each apple. Place apples on a cookie sheet covered with wax paper and sprayed with unflavored cooking oil.

Combine caramels and water in a saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring often, until caramel melts and is smooth. Stir in the vanilla. Dip each apple into the caramel and gently run apples around insides of saucepan to scrape off some of the caramel. Scrape excess caramel from the apple bottoms using the side of the saucepan. Place on the aluminum foil. Sprinkle lightly with the coarse salt and chill.

Pour chocolate chips into a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in the microwave for 30 seconds. Remove and stir. Drizzle over the apples and return them to the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Tip: Apples have a wax coating. Remove this coating before dipping in caramel by briefly dipping in boiled water first, which melts the wax, then wipe with soft, clean towel.

White Chocolate Covered Apples

Ingredients

4 medium-sized Granny Smith apples
4 lollipop sticks or corn-on-the-cob sticks(I prefer corn sticks)
1 (14 oz.)package White Chocolate
2 teaspoons of cooking oil
Choice of toppings: crushed peppermint, mini chocolate chips, toffee bits, etc.
Waxed paper or parchment

Directions

Remove stems from apples and insert sticks into top of apples where stems were. Spray wax paper with unflavored cooking oil. Set aside. Place apples onto baking sheet covered with wax paper.

Combine chocolate chips and oil into small microwavable bowl and heat for about 1 minute, 10 seconds. Stir until liquid. If still too thick, heat back up in microwave for an additional 10 seconds.

Dip one apple by stick into bowl to cover bottom of apple. Remove apple and hold above another bowl. Pour chocolate over apple and allow excess to fall into bowl. Twirl the apple around to allow chocolate to flow down sides evenly. Scoop excess chocolate with serving spoon and drop over apple to add more. There may be some empty space around stick and that’s fine.

Stand upright on cookie sheet. Add toppings while chocolate is still warm. Do same process for each apple one at a time. Refrigerate apples for at least 30 minutes.

Which is the best? Vote for your favorite.

Gift Occasion Ideas for Chocolate Covered Apples

Girlfriend/Wife:

To tell her, "I'm sorry": Wrap the chocolate apple of your choice in a cellophane bag tied at the top with a decorative bow and with a tiny card made of card stock that says, "Sorry for being such a sour apple. Try this one, it's much sweeter than me."

"Love you": Surprise her at work and make her heart skip a few beats. Send her a couple tasty chocolate covered apples from Hannah's Caramel Apples to her office/workplace with the message, "You're the apple of my eye. Love you!" Or if you want to get a little kinky, send the message, "Take a bite and tell me later how this tastes, then later I'll nibble on your ear and neck and tell you how they taste. Love you. See ya at home." (Hannah's Caramel Apples can deliver the apple for you, gift wrap it and send your customized message. They have some unbelievable prices too.)

"You're everything to me.": Order a chocolate apple from EdibleGiftsPLUS (under "Dipped Fruit"), and they can have your lady's picture placed on it. Send it to her office or home with the message, "If I had an apple for each reason why I need you, I would have an orchard."

Boyfriend/Husband

"Thinking of you." Drop off a homemade chocolate or caramel apple of your choice to his office/workplace wrapped in cellophane paper, tied by a bow on top and placed inside a decorative gift box (keep it cool in a lunch box or cooler during delivery) with this kinky message, "I was thinking of you so I made this yummy apple for you. So now think of how yummy I'll be in the shower when you get home/come over here." Make em sweat and desire you. Trust me, that's what he wants.

"Sexiest Man in the World": Yeah, it says a bit much, but you know he likes it. Search through the tasty apples that Hannah's Caramel Apples offers on their site and have it delivered to their office/workplace/home with a crazy message like, "Get some practice removing the candy from this apple. You might need it to remove other items later."

"I love you so much": You can have yummy chocolate covered apples sent with an image, like a heart or lips, or even a picture, and delivered by EdibleGiftsPLUS (found under "Dipped Fruit") with a customized message like, "Baby, you're so important to me. I love you so much."

How to Make Homemade Chocolate Covered Apples with Double Boiler

So you'd like to make some chocolate covered apples for someone special, but unsure how? No need to worry, it's easy. Check it out below.

Start with some semi-sweet chocolate chips that will cover the apples and choose a topping, like mini M&Ms_®, mini chocolate chips, toffee bits, etc.

Here is a double boiler. In the meantime you should insert sticks into the Granny Smith apples.

I prefer to use a double boiler because I think it is easier to monitor the chocolate on the stove. Place about an inch of water in the bottom pot which will heat the top pot which is where you put the chocolate. Combine the chocolate chips and oil and set the burner to low heat. DO NOT BRING THE WATER TO BOIL. If the water heats up to high then the chocolate will thicken.

WARNING: this will be fast! Don't walk away from the stove! You only need to wait until the chocolate shows signs of melting before you remove it from the range and stir until it's liquidy. Next...

TIP: Apples have a wax coating which will make it make it a little more difficult for the chocolate to evenly stick to the apples. To remove the coating briefly dip them in separate pot of boiling water.

Dip the apple in the double boiler first in order to cover the bottom. Then place the apple inside a small bowl and SLOWLY pour the chocolate from the double boiler onto the top of the apple.

Twirl apple to allow the chocolate to evenly flow down the sides. Allow excess chocolate to drop into bowl. Scoop chocolate with big serving spoon and pour over top. Continue this process until there is a smooth, even coating over entire apple.

Before starting with the next apple sprinkle the toppings on top before the chocolate cools while apple stills sits in bowl. To fully cover the apple with the topping, briefly turn it upside down by the stick and sprinkle some more on then place on wax paper. Now continue with next apple until done.

Put finished apples in big zip lock bags and then place in refrigerator to cool. DO NOT store in fridge for more han 5-7 days or the apples will start to rot and the chocolate is vulnerable to crack. Find some decorative plastic bags and twist ties or bows to create a beautiful presentation for your gift.

TIP for sending chocolate covered apples through the mail: Send priority mail so that your gift arrives in 2-3 business days. If you're sending the chocolate covered apples during warm months or through an area that is experiencing hot weather, then I recommend packing the gift box or bag of apples inside a bigger box and then carefully placing a few packs of ice-brix inside to keep them cool. The main objective here is to keep them at the equivalent of room temperature at least.

Check out the delicious homemade chocolate covered apples below!

White Chocolate Covered Apples with Sour Patch Kids

Voila! The finished masterpieces! Chocolate covered apples make great deluxe candy gifts for those people that you love and are fun and easy to make. Get creative and have fun!

Learn about Chocolate Facts

Wanna know what chocolate is made of? Or maybe is white chocolate real chocolate? Where is chocolate grown? Chocolate doesn't grow on trees, it's produced. Learn how and where.