Description
Rainbow Candy Apples are a fun and colorful twist on the classic candy apple. Crisp Granny Smith apples are coated in a hard candy shell made from sugar, corn syrup, and water, then decorated with vibrant gel food colorings in a stunning marbled pattern. Finished with optional edible glitter for extra sparkle, these apples are perfect for festive occasions or a sweet treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Apples
- 6 Granny Smith apples
Candy Coating
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup light corn syrup
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon white gel food coloring
- Gel food coloring in red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple
- 1 teaspoon flavored extract (optional – cherry, vanilla, or cotton candy)
Other
- 6 lollipop sticks or wooden skewers
- Edible glitter or sparkles (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare Apples: Wash and dry the apples thoroughly to remove any wax. Insert a lollipop stick firmly into the top center of each apple, ensuring it is secure for dipping.
- Set Up Workspace: Line a tray with greased parchment paper. Arrange the apples and gel food coloring nearby so they are ready for quick use.
- Make Candy Syrup: In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, combine the sugar, corn syrup, and water. Stir continuously until the sugar dissolves completely to avoid crystallization.
- Cook to Hard Crack Stage: Once the sugar is dissolved, stop stirring. Attach a candy thermometer to the pan and cook the mixture until it reaches 300°F (hard crack stage), which should take about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Add Base Color: Remove the pan from heat. Stir in the white gel food coloring to create an opaque white base for the rainbow effect.
- Swirl Colors: Gently swirl dabs of the rainbow gel food colors over the surface of the candy mixture. Do not overmix; leave the colors marbled to create a vibrant pattern.
- Dip Apples: Dip each apple into the candy mixture, rotating to catch the marbled color patterns evenly all around. Allow excess candy to drip off before placing the apples on the parchment-lined tray.
- Add Sparkle: While the candy coating is still tacky, sprinkle edible glitter or sparkles over the apples if desired for an extra festive look.
- Cool and Harden: Let the coated apples cool completely at room temperature until the candy hardens to a crisp shell, about 30 to 40 minutes.
Notes
- Use Granny Smith apples for their tartness which complements the sweet candy coating.
- Make sure to use a candy thermometer to reach the precise hard crack temperature of 300°F for perfect candy texture.
- If desired, add 1 teaspoon of flavored extract such as cherry, vanilla, or cotton candy to the candy syrup before cooking for added flavor.
- Work quickly when swirling colors and dipping apples as the candy hardens fast once removed from heat.
- Store candy apples at room temperature and consume within 1-2 days for best texture.
- Be very careful when working with hot sugar syrup as it can cause severe burns.
