Red Wine Caramel and Chocolate Apples for #SundaySupper
The Halloween season is officially upon us, and that means it is time for a little bit of sinful indulgence. I don’t know about you, but the beloved creepy holiday is a perfect excuse for me to walk a little on the wild side and enjoy some decadent bites like these red wine caramel and chocolate apples. They are just one of the recipes being presented around the table today for a Frightfully Fun Entertaining themed #SundaySupper with Gallo Family Vineyards!
One of the food images that always pops into my head with Halloween is a platter filled with caramel apples. They are such a wonderful treat bringing out a bountiful fruit of the fall season. You have the tart, cool crunch of the apple (I prefer Granny Smith for their tart flavor and firm texture, but you can use your favorite apple variety), the rich flavor and chewy texture of the caramel, and just enough chocolate to take this dessert over the top. Creating a slightly sinister plate of these red wine caramel and chocolate apples for my Halloween entertaining seemed like the thing to do. By replacing traditional wooden sticks with some natural branches (sourced from the craft store), these enticing caramel apples beckon to you. Take a bite, won’t you? I promise: you won’t regret it…
When it came to creating the caramel coating for the first layer of these apples, I knew it would only be fitting to include some red wine in the mix. My soft caramels melted alongside some Gallo Family Merlot to make a red wine caramel coating. After dipping my apples in the caramel and allowing them to set in the refrigerator for an hour, I absolutely had to add some chocolate to the mix. A dark chocolate layer over the top of the caramel adds a nice bittersweet flavor, and a final drizzle of white chocolate ensures this Halloween treat will be irresistible to any guests who happen to lay eyes on them.
The final result is almost too pretty to eat. However, Halloween is all about temptation, so letting yourself give in to this dessert is just fine.
The Gallo Family Red Moscato is a perfect pairing for this sinfully sweet treat. It has flavors of citrus and peach, as well as a bright red berry finish. This sweet wine is best served chilled; it is a great choice to serve alongside desserts. If you would enjoy a wine on the dry side instead, the Gallo Family Merlot is another option to consider, especially since it is used in the red wine caramel coating on these apples! It is full bodied and brings out flavors of black cherry and plum. Merlot is a great partner for the chocolate element in this dessert!
Ingredients
- 6 medium sized Granny Smith apples
- 1 11 ounce bag soft caramels
- 1 tablespoons Gallo Family Merlot
- Sticks for apples
- 10 ounces bittersweet chocolate (I used 60% cacao)
- 2 ounces white chocolate
Instructions
- Clean and dry each apple thoroughly to remove any wax coating on the skin. If the wax is still on the skin of the apple, the caramel may not stick. Insert sticks into the top of the apples about halfway through the core.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and coat generously with cooking spray to prevent the apples from sticking.
- Melt the caramels with the Merlot wine in a pot on medium low heat until slightly bubbling (about 5-7 minutes).
- Holding an apple by the stick inserted into the top, dip the apple into the melted caramel and twist to fully coat. Hold the apple above the caramel pot and allow the excess caramel to drip off. Carefully place on the greased baking sheet.
- Repeat the caramel coating process with the remaining apples. Then, place the baking sheet into the refrigerator for at least an hour to allow the caramel to fully set on the apples.
- When the caramel on the apples is set, melt the chocolate in a double boiler (or in the microwave, if preferred). Dip each of the caramel coated apples into the chocolate, about half way up the apple (or more, if desired), then hold over the chocolate to allow the excess to drip off. Place the apples back onto the greased baking sheet and back into the refrigerator to set for at least 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, melt the white chocolate in the double boiler (or microwave). Remove the apples from the refrigerator. Dip the tines of a fork into the white chocolate, then drizzle the chocolate across the top of each apple. Alternately, you could place the melted chocolate in a piping bag and drizzle.
- Place the apples back into the refrigerator to set and to keep fresh until serving. Enjoy!
If you are looking for additional Halloween entertaining ideas, make sure to check out Gallo’s post on Frightfully Fun Entertaining! If you are searching for Gallo Family Vineyards’ wine near you, check out their store locator. You can even download a $1 off digital coupon for your next purchase!
Compensation was provided by Gallo Family Vineyards via Sunday Supper, LLC. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author, and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Gallo Family Vineyards.
And don’t miss out on all of the other amazing frightfully fun recipes by the Sunday Supper crew today!
- Beef Stew with Ghost Dumplings by Momma’s Meals
- Blackened Chicken Legs with Red Beets and Potatoes by Jelly Toast
- Brain Cupcakes with Red Moscato Wine Shooters by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
- Dracula Wine Jelly by Basic N Delicious
- Gallo Family Red Moscato Cocktail by Flour On My Face
- Ghoulishly Good Red Moscato Punch by The Weekend Gourmet
- Halloween Buffalo Ranch Pork Bites by Family Foodie
- Meringue Bones with Raspberry Sauce by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
- Mummy Calzone by The Wimpy Vegetarian
- Poison Apple Pomegranate Sangria by The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen
- Pumpkin Chili by The Foodie Army Wife
- Red Moscato Candied Apples by The Messy Baker
- Red Moscato Spider Sangria by Run DMT
- Red Velvet Cake Eye Balls by Take A Bite Out of Boca
- Red Wine Caramel and Chocolate Apples by Ruffles & Truffles
- Roasted Garlic Hummus by Alida’s Kitchen
- Smoked Trout Pate Spider Bites by Shockingly Delicious
- Steak Bites with Bloody Maria Dipping Sauce by Cupcakes & Kale Chips
- Witches Blood Risotto by Bobbi’s Kozy Kitchen
- Zombie Bite Wine Slushies by Feed Me, Seymour
Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement.
The post Red Wine Caramel and Chocolate Apples for #SundaySupper appeared first on Ruffles & Truffles.
