Don’t limit yourself, make all the caramel apple combos you want!
It’s everyone’s favorite fall pair: caramel and apples. They’re sweet, crunchy, and the perfect way to celebrate the season, but why stick to just one kind of apple?
Tara Boss laid out a caramel apple charcuterie board. This idea spreads out the toppings charcuterie-style and lets each guest pile on the flavor!
“Maybe you want to have a few different varieties, and you don’t want to be stuck with one caramel apple,” Tara said. This concept lets you mix and match, like a caramel apple buffet!
Here are three fun serving styles to try:
Party-Style Setup
For a family-style vibe, spread out small snack cups or bowls filled with different toppings. Then, slice your apples into wedges. Guests can grab apple slices like they would nachos, drizzle them with warm caramel, and pile on their favorite toppings. This setup encourages mingling and sharing, making it perfect for a party atmosphere!
Skewer-Style Setup
If you want to get a little fancier, try the skewer-style setup. Lay out some skewers for guests to use. They can poke an apple slice onto a skewer, dip it in warm caramel (you could even keep the caramel warm in a slow cooker), and then roll it in toppings. It’s a fun way to create your own personalized caramel apple on a stick!
Halloween Cauldron Style
This Halloween-style setup comes to life with a few cauldrons. Tara suggested filling the three cauldrons with a different type of apple, and then laying the rest of your toppings in small black salsa bowls.
To keep apples from browning, add sliced apples to 1 gallon of cold water and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Let apples sit in solution for five minutes, then drain. Keep apple slices in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
Topping Ideas to Get You Started
- Cinnamon sugar
- Crushed graham crackers
- Oreo
- Heath bars
- Almonds
- Coconut
- Peanuts
- Chocolate chips
Tara’s Signature Salted Caramel
INGREDIENTS
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature, cut into pieces
- 1 cup heavy cream at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon fleur de sel or any other flaky sea salt
METHOD
- Add the sugar in an even layer over the bottom of a medium (3 to 4-quart) saucepan. Heat the sugar over medium heat, whisking it as it begins to melt. You’ll see that the sugar will begin to form clumps, but that’s okay. Just keep whisking and as it continues to cook, they will melt back down. Stop whisking once all of the sugar has melted, and swirl the pan occasionally while the sugar cooks.
- Continue cooking until the sugar has reached a deep amber color. It should look almost a reddish-brown, and have a slight toasted aroma. This is the point where caramel can go from perfect to burnt in a matter of seconds, so keep a close eye.
- As soon as the caramel reaches its sweet spot, add the butter all at once. Be careful, as the caramel will bubble up when the butter is added. Whisk the butter into the caramel until it is completely melted. Remove the pan from heat.
- Slowly pour the cream into the caramel. Again, be careful because the mixture will once again bubble up ferociously.
- Whisk until all of the cream has been incorporated and you have a smooth sauce. Add the fleur de sel and whisk to incorporate.
- Set the sauce aside to cool for 10 to 15 minutes and then pour into your favorite glass jar and let cool to room temperature. The sauce can be refrigerated for up to 1 month.
Find more recipes from Tara on Instagram and Facebook, @boss.lady.dessert.studio.
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