Apple Immersion

Bobbing for Apples

Bobbing for apples is a time honored tradition at children’s Halloween parties.  A large tub gets filled with water and several apples, which float to the top.  Children have their hands tied behind their backs and “bob”, using their teeth, to bite the apple and pull it out of the tub.  I have a childhood memory of playing the game with my neighborhood friends in my basement.  Perhaps the reason that I remember it so well is because we were all wiggling and missing our front teeth so needless to say, very few actually got the apple. 

In the early 1900’s bobbing for apples wasn’t just about getting the apple.  In some instances initials were carved into the apples.  When an apple was successfully clenched from the tub the initials on the apple indicated the bobbers’ future mate.  The amount of times that the person bobbed to get the apple indicated the number of years until the wedding. 

Another variation of the game included inserting a ring, a thimble, a key, and a coin into different apples. Each item symbolized an element of the future.  The ring symbolized a marriage within the year. The thimble was a life without marriage.  The key was a high position and the coin brought prosperity.

Colossal Caramel Apples

8-12 Apples

1 Cup Brown Sugar

1 Cup White Sugar

1 Cup Corn Syrup

1 14 Oz Can Condensed Milk

2 T Butter

1 t Vanilla Extract

Toppings:  melted chocolate, melted almond bark, pecans, marshmallows,

Crushed cookies, m&m’s, sprinkles, peanuts, cinnamon sugar

*Popsicle Sticks

Mix the sugars, corn syrup, and milk in a sauce pan. Turn the heat up just below the highest setting. Place the candy thermometer in the pan making sure not to touch the bottom of the pan with the tip of the thermometer.  Continue to stir with a wooden spoon or a heat proof spatula. When the thermometer reaches soft ball at 240 degrees.  Turn off the heat and let it sit for about 2 minutes.

Add the butter and the vanilla and stir well.  Let the caramel cool about 45 minutes to an hour before dipping so that it’s thick enough to coat onto the apple.

Wash and dry the apples and push a popsicle stick through the top half of the apple. Dip them into the caramel sauce and put them onto a greased sheet pan. Refrigerate about 15 minutes or until the caramel sets.  Dip or drizzle them with chocolates and add other toppings.  You can also stick the nuts and candies directly to the caramel prior to drizzling chocolate.  Refrigerate about 15 minutes so that the chocolate sets. 

Place the apples onto a baking cup and tie a bow onto the stick.  I recommend keeping the apples refrigerated up until 1 hour before serving.

YUMMY!

Fresh hot apple cider can bring warmth and great fall memories to your heart.  I decided to try making it fresh.  It’s easy you just blend them up and strain it, right? Well…… it’s a little more difficult than you would think.  The first thing that you need is PACIENCE! At first this housewife was a little aggravated at this process because it seemed like it wasn’t working, but in time I yielded a fresh tasty cider.

Traditionally you would use a cider press or a food mill.  However if you have a food processor and some cheese cloth it works just was well. 

Overall I was satisfied with my cider making mission and recommend it to the inquisitive at heart.

Fresh Apple Cider

Makes About 1 ½ Quarts

                     3 Lbs. Apples                    

1-2 Cups of Water

Wash and quarter the apples. There is no need to remove the core since it will be strained.  Finely mince the apples in a food processor.  You will need a little bit of water to start the chopping movement of the apples.

Place a strainer over a bowl and line the strainer with 2 layers of cheese cloth. You will most likely want to do this with 2 bowls to speed up the process.  Pour the apple mixture into the strainer and WAIT and WAIT!  What you can do it press with a spoon so that it starts straining out.  After about 30 minutes you can pick up the cheese cloth and start ringing out the remaining juice.  Make sure that you refrigerate it when you are done.

If you would like to pasteurize it, heat it above 160 but below 185 degrees.  This will extend the life on it.

Hot Spiced/Spiked Cider

32 Oz Fresh Apple Cider

1 T Maple Syrup

¼ Cup Rum or Red Wine

Any of the following:  Cinnamon sticks, orange peel,

whole cloves, all spice, dried apples, raisins

Mix the cider, maple syrup, and spices and simmer for about 30 minutes.  Add the rum or wine and serve. It will warm anyone up!