Ingredients:

  • 6 Medium Granny Smith Apples
  • 2 cups granulated white sugar
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 1/2 cup light corn syrup
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp black gel food coloring
  • 1/4 tsp purple or deep teal gel food coloring

Instructions:

  1. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Dip each apple into the boiling water for exactly 5 seconds to remove the food-grade wax, then immediately plunge into ice water.
  2. Thoroughly dry each apple with a lint-free towel. Remove stems and insert heavy-duty wooden skewers deep into the core of each apple.
  3. In a small, deep saucepan, combine sugar, water, and light corn syrup. Stir over medium-high heat only until the sugar is dissolved.
  4. Attach a candy thermometer and stop stirring completely. Bring the mixture to a boil and continue cooking until it reaches exactly 300°F (150°C), the hard crack stage.
  5. Remove the pan from heat. Stir in the vanilla extract and black gel food coloring until the mixture is uniform.
  6. Drop 2-3 dots of the secondary gel color (purple or teal) onto the surface. Use a toothpick to drag the color in a 'Z' pattern to create a marbled swirl.
  7. Tilt the pan and dip each apple, swirling to coat completely. Lift and allow excess candy to drip off before placing on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
  8. Allow the apples to set undisturbed for at least 45 minutes at room temperature until the shell is hard and glass-like.