Salted Caramel Apples

I won’t lie - making Caramel is tricky! You really need the right type of pot. If the bottom of your pot is too thin your caramel will burn and you will have a sticky awful mess. If you don’t cook it long enough then your caramel will be thin and flavorless. If you cook it too long it will be too dark and taste burnt. BUT if you get it just right you won’t believe how good it is! If you want to make regular caramel - just leave out the salt and the apples. Then pour it on top of everything you can find - I think an old shoe would taste good with caramel on top.

photo: Paul Jackson [www.pauljacksonphoto.com]

1 ½  c. Sugar
¼  c. water
½ t. lemon juice
¾  c. heavy cream
1 t. salt
1 oz butter – cold cut into chunks
1 # apples – peeled and sliced

• Stir together sugar water and lemon juice in a 4-8 quart heavy bottom sauce pot and bring to a boil.
• Do not stir
• Cook on medium heat about 15-20 minutes until color starts to turn medium brown.
• Meanwhile warm heavy cream - but don’t bring to a boil.
• Add salt and heavy cream to the pot and stir with a metal or wooden spoon (rubber or plastic will melt) – it will boil furiously
• Cook until color is golden brown and slightly thick about 5-10 minutes
• Stir in butter
• Remove from heat and add in apples