Caramel Apples

拔丝苹果

Caramel Apples — a Chinese recipe, ready in about 35 minutes. Step-by-step instructions with photos. Includes clear timing and pro tips.

Ingredients

• Granny Smith apples
• granulated sugar
• water
• sesame oil

Instructions

1. Prep apples: Peel, core, and cut apples into 2.5-cm cubes. Toss with 1 tsp lemon juice to prevent browning. Pat *completely* dry with paper towels.
2. Coat: In a bowl, toss apple cubes with 40 g sugar (1/3 of total) until evenly coated. Set aside 5 minutes to draw out slight moisture.
3. Fry apples: Heat 2 tbsp neutral oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Fry apple cubes in batches until golden and slightly caramelized (2–3 min per batch). Drain on wire rack.
4. Make caramel: Wipe skillet clean. Combine remaining 80 g sugar and 30 ml water. Heat over medium-low, stirring *only* until sugar dissolves. Then stop stirring—swirl pan gently. Cook until syrup turns light amber (160–170°C), ~6–7 min. Test with cold water: a drop forms brittle, snap-able threads.
5. Combine: Immediately add warm apple cubes to hot caramel. Stir *once* with heatproof spatula to coat. Quickly pour onto oiled marble or cold plate.
6. Serve: Cut into portions while warm. Serve immediately with chilled sesame oil for dipping—pull threads by dipping apple into oil, then lifting. (Thin, continuous golden threads stretch 10–15 cm between chopsticks and apple.)