Toffee Apples

INGREDIENTS
For the toffee coating
675g Demerara sugar
330 ml water
1 ½ tsp vinegar
6 tbsp golden syrup
75g butter

For the apples
20 smallish apples
Wooden skewers, for holding the apples – ice lolly sticks will do

DIRECTIONS
Be extremely careful while making Toffee Apples, and do not leave children unsupervised.

Dissolve the sugar into the water over a moderate heat. When it has dissolved, stir in the vinegar, syrup and butter. Bring to a boil and cook without stirring until it reaches hard-crack stage (138C) or hardens into a ball when dropped in a jug of cold water. This should take around 10 minutes boiling time. Be extremely careful while making Toffee Apples.

While the syrup is cooking, pierce each apple with a wooden stick. Once the toffee is ready, dip each apple into the hot toffee, turning it around in the syrup so that each one is fully coated.

Leave to harden on a lightly oiled tray before serving. If you're planning to keep them for longer, wrap the apples in cellophane.