Vegan Candy Apples

This is more like a set of directions than a recipe, and although I prefer using apple slices, you can also use a whole apple. And the peanut butter caramel sauce is SO good—its a nice recipe to add to your repertoire!

Ingredients

• Chocolate of choice—on the darker side is best, like 60 or 70%
• Apples
• Peanut butter caramel (1/4 cup coconut nectar*, 1/4 cup smooth peanut butter or other nut butter, 3 tbsp. melted coconut oil, and 1 tbsp. hot water)
• Chopped peanuts, other nuts, or sprouted buckwheat
• ½ tsp. cinnamon

*Or maple syrup, but add an extra 1 tbsp. of coconut oil

Instructions

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Slice the apples vertically (I left the core in). Insert sucker sticks into the bottom. Dip the apple slices into the caramel, let excess drip off, and then place flat on the pan. Or place the apples on the pan and spoon the caramel sauce over top.* Place in the freezer for at least 1 hour.

*NOTE: When I took the apples off the pan, the bottom layer of the caramel didn’t stay on the apples. I ended up scraping it off the pan and warmed it up with the leftover caramel sauce for the rest of the topping.

While the apples are in the freezer, melt your chocolate (I used a few cups of chopped chocolate) in a bowl set over a pot of hot water on the stove. Add a spoonful of coconut oil (I used about ½ tbsp.). When all is melted and smooth, dip the apples into the chocolate, and when coated, transfer onto a new parchment-lined tray. Make sure the chocolate covers all the way down to the stick to secure it, otherwise the apples may fall off the stick. Chill in the fridge for 20 minutes. Remove and dip half of the apple into the warmed caramel sauce, then sprinkle with chopped peanuts (or roll the apple in the peanuts). Set back on the pan and drizzle more chocolate on top. For the “white chocolate” looking drizzle, I just whisked melted coconut butter with enough hot water to make it smooth. Place back in the fridge again for about 10 minutes. Voilà! Eat!

Heather Pace
A classically trained chef turned raw-dessert chef, she is a travel bug, a chocoholic, and a certified yoga instructor.
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