Tricky-Treat Stuffed Caramel Apples...No Seeds, Just Happiness

Are you ready to trick-out your caramel apples? On my Fox 10 segment we made these stuffed caramel apples. The link is not yet up on their website to watch the show, but I'll post that as soon as it is available. I still think it's important to get these recipes to you though...right? I'll start with the three different fillings I use. Anyone with me? Look at this apple.

It's stuffed with these.

Are you with me now?

To make the peanut butter cup filling us:

8 regular Reese's peanut butter cups

1/2 cup thick peanut butter

Mash them all together.

Next filling is by and far my favorite. It's a white chocolate maple walnut fudge filling. I used my mom's modeling chocolate recipe as the base. It holds the stick pretty well. Regular fudge, because it it generally higher in sugar, will start to liquefy inside the apple. Going with the modeling chocolate is a good choice because the fat content is higher. That being said, it is best to make and eat these apples withing 12 hours. The filling will still get funky if left much longer. This filling is also great for making Fall white chocolate truffles or rolling out between parchment paper and using as a fondant type frosting on an my all time favorite Apple Cake .

Tess' White Chocolate Maple Walnut Fudge

12 oz white chocolate

1/3 cup maple syrup

1/2 tsp maple flavor

1/8 tsp fresh ground nutmeg

1/2 cup toasted, chopped walnuts

Place the chocolate in a bowl with the maple syrup, flavor and nutmeg.

Isn't maple divinity. I could sniff it all day long. I'd have a maple glazed brain, but I'd be happy.

I microwaved this one minute and then stirred until the chocolate was all melted.

Waaaaalnuts. Did anyone see that Disney movie "Walle"? I can't even look at a walnut without doing a Walle impression. I've been ruined forever by kid movies. No longer delving into the artistic balance and cinematography of a film. No. My brain's turned to Waaaaale.

Add the nuts. Admire the view.

I chilled the filling in the fridge, covered, for 2 hours. If you use it for a fondant type frosting, it must be cooled at room temperature to retain that smooth texture used in molding. For filling, the chill didn't matter as much.

The third filling is a Chocolate Orange Brandy fudge variation on this recipe:

Neive's Modeling Chocolate
10 ounces chocolate, chopped(white chocolate is very pliable for flower working)
1/3 cup corn syrup

Place chocolate in a double boiler over a low heat and stir until melted, about 5 minutes. Add the corn syrup and stir until well combined. Pour mixture out onto a pan that has been lined with parchment paper. Allow to cool 24 hours at room temperature.

For orange brandy fudge, add 1/2 tsp brandy flavor and 1 tsp fresh orange zest to the double boiler of stuff. Chill in the fridge for apple filling or 24 hours at room temperature for more of the modeling effects.

Now we move on to how to stuff those apples.

Cut the top off the apple, about 1/2 inch below the stem.

With a melon baller, remove the seeds.

Fill with a tablespoon of fudge or peanut butter cup filling.

Replace top.

If you plan on dipping the apple in hot caramel, put the stick in before dipping.

Coat completely and allow to cool slightly before adding the toppings for the outside of the apple should you use them.

I have a good recipe for Apple Cider Caramels that can be used for the caramel coating. You can also use Peter's Caramel (my personal favorite). For kids, I use pre-made caramel wraps. I place a quarter cup of caramel on a 6 inch square of parchment paper,top with another piece of parchment, and roll it out flat. Remove the caramel from the paper and mold it over the filled apple. In this way, I don't have to heat the caramel for kids. Less messy too. Save the mess for the toppings...

There you go. Make some caramel apples.