8clean twigs6 inch or craft sticks (flat wooden sticks with round ends) or wooden skewers
2 1/2cupssugar
2/3cupwater
1/2cuplight corn syrup
1/2teaspoonblack paste food color
2drops cinnamon-flavored oilif desired
Instructions
Line cookie sheet with cooking parchment paper; spray paper with cooking spray.
Wash and dry apples; remove stems and blossom ends.
Insert twig or wooden stick into stem end of each apple.
In 2-quart heavy saucepan, cook sugar, water and corn syrup over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved.
Cook about 8 minutes, without stirring, to 300°F on candy thermometer or until small amount of mixture dropped into cup of very cold water separates into hard, brittle threads. (Watch carefully so mixture does not burn.)
Immediately remove from heat.
Stir in food color and cinnamon oil until blended.
Dip each apple in syrup, tilting pan and turning apples quickly to coat evenly; allow excess syrup to drip off.
Place apples on cookie sheet.
Let stand until set.
Wrap in cellophane or place into cellophane bags and seal with a twist. (Don't refrigerate these they'll be a puddle of black candy if you do!)
Notes
For the Red Apples simply omit the Black Coloring and Substitute Red