are commonly sold during the fall months in America for making caramel apples. For high-volume production of caramel apples, a sheet of
caramel can be wrapped around the apple, followed by heating the apple to melt the caramel evenly onto it. This creates a harder caramel that is easier to transport but more difficult to eat. Caramel apple production at home usually involves melting pre-purchased caramel candies for dipping or making a homemade caramel from ingredients like
corn syrup,
brown sugar,
butter, and
vanilla. Homemade caramel generally results in a softer, creamier coating. In recent years, it has become increasingly popular to decorate caramel apples for holidays like
Halloween. Methods used to do this include applying sugar or salt to softened caramel, dipping cooled, hardened apples in white or milk
chocolate, or painting designs onto finished caramel apples with
white chocolate colored with
food coloring. Classically, the preferred apples for use in caramel apples are tart-tasting apples with a crisp texture such as
Granny Smith. ==History==