caramel apple tips and tricks - HELP!

i am having a horrible time trying to get the caramel apples down.

i am doing a few things wrong, i know this. but i need help because i cant figure it out....

i am getting a #10 can from a supplier of caramel dip. the caramel is really hard and needs to be melted down. i start by putting the caramel inside a pot of boiling water for about 20-30 minutes. then i scoop it out and at first i would microwave it in a container, and then just goto dipping, then i saw i had to add water to thin it out. doing that, i was getting maybe 25 granny apples out of it. the caramel was THICK. and it was so hard to eat. i had a lot of waste. prolly didnt make 50 bucks on the entire thing. so then i got another can, and did same process, just adding water tho, a lil bit more and thinned it out, but it was still thick. andi was microwaving the caramel from the fridge, the leftovers, and i saw the caramel wasnt sticking to the apple. i would dip the apples with peanuts, and both times, the nuts would just collapse to the bottom of the apple. no luck...

THEN i went onto youtube and watched a video from daffy apple on how to make the apples, and this time around i wanted to try and use m&m's and crushed oreos as toppings, along with nuts. so i got another can, popped it open, and boiled it up. then i put the caramel in a metal bowl, and made a double boiler. i heated the caramel ontop of the pot to 180+ degrees. i added about 1/2 cup of water, and i think that might have been too much. the caramel was nice and creamy. and when i dipped the apple inside, it was a nice even layer, thin, but nice. i rolled the apple in the peanuts and it looked great. then i did the oreos, looked good. then i did the m&m and it was ok, but then the m&m started to drop and slide down over time. i just cant get the caramel to set right. after i saw the falling of the m&m, i started to put them in the freezer after i dipped them for about 5 minutes, then i put them in the fridge. they still slid down.

i just cant seem to get the caramel to get hard enough for the toppings to stay. is it because of the heat? too much water? not the right toppings? i think the m&m were too heavy, i dunno. but its annoying me.

any help is appreciated.

The apples have to be cold.

Hello,

How cold should the apples be? I was told to use them at room temp but I still have caramel sliding.

Someone said to cook the caramel longer or add more evap milk to it.

It is driving me nuts as well. I tried making my own caramel and also using the 5lbs bars that are available, both have had the same issues with not sticking well.

Thanks for any help.

~Phil

i havent heard anything about room temp or temperature of the apples. i have only been told that they should be cleaned with water and must be very dry. i used a small amount of water when i mixed the caramel up to thin it out, and i got no where

GoTTi,
Here is a google search for caramel apple recipes. Read through them and you will most likely see what you need to correct.
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=caramel+apples+recipe
The only other advice I can give is to ask your local baker.
Hope it's not too late.
Good Luck.
I'd ask you to save me one but I'm on the other coast and by the time I got there the apple might be a pile of carbon.

GoTTi,

The video you watched http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgCvD9rzUWg makes it look so easy...

I am going to try their caramel and let you know how it turns out.

I am still trying to get my caramel to stick. I was told by someone in the business to cook the caramel longer. Another book I have said that the usual cause of caramel sliding or holes appearing is because of a lack of milk. They say add more evaporated milk and continue cooking until the caramel thickens.

Please keep us updated if you find a solution.

~Phil

i never heard of the milk thing. that video shows the entire thing working perfectly, and when i tried it with my own caramel, i got bad results. so for now, untill i can figure out how to do it the RIGHT way, im not gunna bother selling them.

Make sure that you wash and dry the apples before using them... Store bought apples often have a light coating of wax, which will keep the caramel from sticking... But even fresh from the orchard apples should be washed and dried well....

Hi guys,  I made the video and can probably help.  I'm pretty sure you just added too much water.  With a fresh container, you shouldn't need to add much more than a couple of tablespoons.  You must also make sure the caramel is hot enough - 180 - 185 is best. 
 
You need to make sure the caramel is spun off thouroughly... otherwise, just the thick caramel will slide off. 
 
After making, do not store or display in a humid environment, this is really bad for caramel.  Caramel and sugar products are hygroscopic, which means they love to inhale water.  When the caramel absorbs water, it starts to slide.
 
Hope this helps,
 
Phil - Daffy Apple

I don't know the answers, but I'd be happy to eat your goofs.

I need more fruit in my diet.