Did You Know Candy Apples Came About By Mistake?

Some people love apples. Some people love candy. However, not all people love candy apples. Even fewer people know that candy apples came about by mistake. They were designed by a candy maker to be used as a display. They weren't meant to be eaten.

About Candy Apples

Candy apples have been around since 1908 when William W. Kolb in Newark, New Jersey was experiencing to make a new red cinnamon candy. The candy maker dipped apples into the confectionary mixture to test the invention of the candy and not the apple. Kolb was looking for ways to expand sales of his red cinnamon candy during the Christmas season. He used an apple on a stick as a way to display the brightly colored candy in his candy shop window. When customers saw the beautiful display, they wanted to taste the combination. It turned out that the candy was sweet, and the apples were just as tasteful as the candy. Kolb sold the treat for only five cents for a Christmas treat. Customers liked the candy and apple combination so much that Kolb sold thousands of them each year.

The sweet treat became popular at fairs, carnivals, and circuses and on New Jersey boardwalks. Candy apples are sold for much more than five cents today. Also, they are a Halloween treat instead of a Christmas treat in most regions.

Whether candy apples are made for Halloween or Christmas, they are easier to make in the fall or winter instead of in the spring or summer. Sugar on candy apples must get hard. That doesn’t always always happen in hot or humid weather.

Easy to Make

Candy apples are very easy to make. Therefore, people do not have to wait until a fair comes to town. Candy apple kits are available in grocery stores and candy shops.

The simple ingredients for candy apples include white or brown sugar to coat the apple, corn syrup, water, cinnamon, and red food coloring. You can use any red or green apple, but experts say Granny Smith apples are the best to use instead of any of the other types of apples for two reasons. First, the tart flavor is much better to go along with the sweet candy coating. Second, Granny Smith's crisp apples hold up better under the heat and weight of the hard candy coating.

Wash the apples thoroughly because most of them have a waxy coating. That will prevent the candy from sticking to the apple. To make sure all wax is eliminated, simply boil six cups of water with one tablespoon of white vinegar. Dip the apple in the vinegar mixture for just five seconds and dry them. Then they will be ready to be dipped into the candy mixture. Put each one and swirl it around to make sure the apple is coated all over. Stick lollipop or popsicle sticks into the apple to use as handles.

People might think the hard candy on the apple makes the treat unhealthy. An average candy apple has from 215 to 286 calories and contains 0 to 3 grams of fat.

Regional Traditions of the Candy Apples

Even though candy apples came about in the United States, other countries jumped on the bandwagon and began to make their own versions.

Instead of limiting the fruit to be covered to just the apple, China covers small fruits with hard sugar syrup. Germany and some other countries associate candy apples with the Christmas season. Israel sells the treat as part of its street celebration on Independence Day.

The Republic of Ireland, the United Kingdom, and the United States eat candy apples at Halloween.

Candy apples have become so well known that there is a color named after it. Flashy cars come in candy apple red. Women's lipstick and nail polish also come in candy apple red.

Caramel Apples

A caramel apple is a cousin of the candy apple. However, they do not look or take the same. The process of making the two kinds of apple treats is also different.

Do you like candy apples or caramel apples? Which is your favorite?