There is nothing like the hard crack of the candy shell or the chewy caramel combined with a tart apple. Pull up your dentist’s phone number just in case.

Candy Apples With Coconut

• Unsalted butter, for parchment paper
• 2 cups sugar
• ¾ cup water
• ½ cup light corn syrup
• ½ teaspoon red food coloring
• 6 medium apples
• ½ cup coconut
• popsicle sticks

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; butter parchment, and set aside. In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine sugar, ¾ cup water, corn syrup, and food coloring. Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat to medium-high. Insert candy thermometer and continue to boil until temperature reaches between 300 degrees and 310 degrees (hard crack stage), about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, insert a wooden stick into the top of each apple, pushing about halfway through; set aside. When mixture reaches temperature, immediately remove from heat. Working quickly, dip apples in sugar mixture until completely coated. Dip bottom in coconut and transfer to prepared baking sheet; allow to cool.

Burnt Salted Caramel Apples

• ½ cup butter, cubed
• 2 cups packed brown sugar
• 1 cup light corn syrup
• dash salt
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 10 apples
• popsicle sticks
• ½ cup chopped peanuts

In a large heavy saucepan, melt butter; add the brown sugar, corn syrup and salt. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil, about 10-12 minutes. Stir in milk. Cook and stir until a candy thermometer reads 248° (firm-ball stage). Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla.

Insert Popsicle sticks into apples. Dip each apple into hot caramel mixture; turn to coat. Dip bottom of apples into peanuts. Place on greased waxed paper until set.