Recipe Instructions:
8 small apples (I used Empire and Spitzenberg)
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup water
1/3 cup light corn syrup
1 teaspoon cinnamon oil (optional)
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
red food coloring, if desired
1 cup toasted pepitas, for dipping
wooden chopsticks, narrow wooden dowels, or wooden craft sticks
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, then butter it thoroughly (or spray with non-stick spray). This will keep the candied apples from sticking. Wash and dry apples, then insert a wooden chopstick or dowel into the stem end, halfway into the apple. If using pepitas, spread them in an even layer onto a small plate and keep near the stove.
In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, water, and corn syrup. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally until sugar dissolves. Once it bubbles, reduce heat to medium-high and attach a candy thermometer to the side of the pot. Boil until the temperature reaches 300°F (the hard crack stage); it should take around 15 to 20 minutes.
Immediately take the mixture off the heat and stir in the cinnamon oil and cayenne pepper, if desired. (This is also where you would add a few drops of red food coloring if you're into that.) Working quicky, angle the saucepan towards you and dip each apple into the syrup, turning to coat. Immediately take apples and stamp them into the pepitas, rolling the bottom back and forth to get the seeds to stick. Transfer onto the pre-greased baking sheet and allow to cool.
