The season is slowing rolling into fall and no better time to talk about apples or making faux caramel apples for a seasonal display.
I found a bunch of faux green apples in a secondhand store, but faux red apples work equally well.
Craft stores, also, sell faux apples and other fruit.
Supplies
You will need faux apples, wooden skewers, and I used Folk Art Multi-Surface Satin Acrylic Paint in their Coffee Latte Color.
I also covered my work area with a piece of cardboard and used a piece of wax paper to place the painted apples on so they won’t stick.
Directions for Making Faux Caramel Apples
The photograph on the left shows the supplies for the faux caramel apples.
The first step is to check to see that your apple will lay flat on a surface and not roll to one side.
Sometime junk store faux food can be a little out of shape.
The next step is to remove the faux stem. It should twist easily out.
Then push in the wooden skewer into the top of the apple so it is firmly attached. If the wooden skewer is too long, you can trim it down with a heavy pair of shears before placing it in the apple.
The photograph on the right shows a faux apple ready for painting.
Using a medium-sized paint brush, paint an uneven top near the top of the faux apple. Then paint the apple sides and bottom.
Be careful not to get paint on the wooden skewer or it will look messy.
The photograph on the left, shows painting of a faux caramel apple.
I liked this paint because it gave the caramel on the apple a slight sheen like real caramel apples.
Allow paint on the faux apples to thoroughly dry and repeat painting for an even look.
I’m thinking this project will need at least three or more layers of paint.
History of Candy Apples
I was a little curious about the history of candy apples. I went on the internet and found candy apple information on Wikipedia, Gold Medal, and the International Independent Showman’s Museum in Florida.
Making red candy apples goes back to 1908 when William Kolb, a candy shop owner in New Jersey, was experimenting with red cinnamon Christmas candy. He coated an apple with the melted candy. He then placed the coated apples in his store window for sale at five cents each.
The candy coated apples quickly sold and became a favorite of his customers.
Then candy apples began to be sold at the New Jersey shore and at circus food booths.
Kraft Caramel Candy Apples
In the 1950’s, Dan Walker, a Kraft employee, began experimenting with leftover Halloween caramel candy and came up with caramel coated apples.
Today there is a variety of delicious coated apples sold at grocery stores, farmer’s markets and gourmet sites.
Taffy apples are coated with chopped pieces of peanuts.
Chocolate apples can be dipped in either chocolate or white chocolate and coated with chopped nuts, candy, sprinkles, etc.
Jelly apples are candy coated in a cherry flavoring.
Ending Notes
Candy Apple Red became known as a bright red color for lipsticks, cars, motor cycles, hair dye, small kitchen accessories, etc.
Everyone loves both real and faux candy apples!
Making faux caramel apples is a fun and easy craft project.