Paradiesäpfel
Candy apples
Paradiesäpfel: German fairground candy apples with a hard red glaze
Paradiesäpfel shine from the sugar stalls at German fairs and Christmas markets, from the Cannstatter Wasen to the Hamburg Dom: small tart apples on wooden sticks, dipped in a glassy red sugar glaze that cracks when you bite it. Children often get them on the way home from the rides in autumn. The glaze is just sugar, water and a drop of vinegar boiled to the hard-crack stage, so a sugar thermometer helps. The most common mistake is using wet or waxed apples, which makes the glaze slide off. Chef's tip: scrub the apples in hot water and dry them completely first, then dip quickly and twist so the excess drips back into the pan.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
- 6 small tart applesunwaxed
- 14 oz sugar
- ½ cup water
- 1 tsp white wine vinegar
- ½ tsp red food colouringgel or paste
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Scrub 6 small tart apples in hot water to remove any wax, dry them thoroughly, pull out the stalks and push a wooden stick firmly into each. Line a tray with baking paper.
5 minStep 2: Put 14 oz sugar, ½ cup water and 1 tsp white wine vinegar in a heavy pan and heat gently, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved. Stir in ½ tsp red food colouring.
5 minStep 3: Stop stirring and boil hard for 12–15 minutes until it reaches 300°F, the hard-crack stage: a drop in cold water should snap like glass.
15 minStep 4: Take the pan off the heat and tilt it. Dip each apple, twist to coat, let the excess drip off and stand it on the tray. Work quickly and carefully, as the sugar is extremely hot. The glaze sets hard in about 10 minutes; eat the same day.
5 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 250 kcal
- Protein
- 0 g
- Carbs
- 64 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does paradiesäpfel take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of small tart apples?
- Pears, same amount.
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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