Homemade Gourmet Caramel Apples

Yummy Caramel Apple Gifts!

It has become a tradition for me to make homemade gourmet caramel apples every year for my family and close friends. Each year the amount of caramel apples I make seems to double. It is something I look forward to making the week before Halloween as a yummy fall treat and gift for my loved ones.
Below is the recipe for one of the many types of caramel apples I've made:

Ingredients:

• 5 Apples (I usually pick Red Delicious, but you can use any you like), cleaned and wiped dry
• 1 pkg. caramel squares, unwrapped
• 2 tbsp. milk 
• 1/2 pkg. chocolate almond bark, melted
• 3 squares white chocolate almond bark, melted
• 4 Hershey candy bars, chopped 
• 5 Popsicle sticks or tongue depressors
• 5 cellophane gift bags (I have found them at the Dollar Tree, Walmart and Party America)

 
Directions:

1. Rise and remove any stickers from your apples. Pat dry with a paper towel. Remove stem from the top of the apple. Insert Popsicle stick into the top center of the apple.
2. Melt caramel squares and milk together on the stove top over medium heat - watch your caramels closely so they do not begin to burn. (I prefer to use my electric fondue pot - but I understand that not everyone has one. You need to keep the caramel continuously warm so microwaving it would not work very well unless you are really fast)
3. Dip your apple into the caramel mixture. Let excess caramel drip off.
4. Immediately dip your apple into the chopped Hershey's chocolate bar. Then place onto a chilled cookie tray. 
5. Immediately place cookies into refrigerate to help cool and set the caramel. After about 30 minutes remove. 
6. Melt chocolate almond bark in the microwave according to the pkg. directions. Holding the apple side ways and rotating it drizzle the chocolate over the apple using a spoon.
7. Repeat using the white chocolate bark.
8. Refrigerate again. After about an hour it will be set enough that you can remove from the refrigerator to place in the cellophane gift bag. You can add pretty curling ribbon a note if you desire. 

Note: Other possible toppings I have used: mini M&M's, chopped almonds, chopped pecans, chopped walnuts, crushed Oreo cookies, cake sprinkles, and/or chopped Snickers bars.