Here is my take on toffee apples. For grown ups. Intensely sweet, crisp and crunchy apple chips. Slow baked in the oven. Drizzled with toffee. So very easy to prepare. I’d almost say it’s child’s play except for  a few little points. First, there’s the mandolin which makes short work of  the slicing  but can be a hazard  if you don’t pay close attention to fingers. Note to self  always remember to use the slicer guard even if it does involve hunting through the kitchen cupboards. Then there’s the toffee. So very easy to burn yourself if you’re not careful. Always remember toffee is hot and liquid. Place a small drop of cooked toffee on a saucer of cold water to test if it is ready. Then taste to see if it is ready. If it cracks between your teeth its done. A very valuable lesson remembered and  learned, the hard way, from my childhood.

But please don’t let these cautionary words of wisdom deter you. These are well worth making. The dried apples are brilliant on their own even without the toffee drizzle. So far removed from anything that can be purchased commercially. In my humble opinion the toffee just elevates them to a whole new level. Reminiscent of toffee apples. A large bowl didn’t last long in our house. Demolished in an instant by a very appreciative trio of taste testers.

https://thepaddingtonfoodie.com/2013/08/28/toffee-apples-for-grown-ups-sweet-crisp-and-crunchy-oven-baked-apple-chips-with-a-toffee-drizzle/

https://thepaddingtonfoodie.com/2013/08/28/toffee-apples-for-grown-ups-sweet-crisp-and-crunchy-oven-baked-apple-chips-with-a-toffee-drizzle/

Oven Baked Apple Chips With A Toffee Drizzle

Apple Chips
3 small apples (Pink Lady, Royal Gala or Granny Smith Apples work well for this recipe)
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup water
juice of 1 lemon

Toffee Drizzle
1 cup caster sugar
1/4 cup water

PREHEAT oven to 110C fan forced. Line 3 large oven trays with baking paper.
MAKE a simple sugar syrup. Combine the sugar, water and lemon juice in a shallow pan and bring to a gentle simmer.
SLICE unpeeled apples very thinly on a mandolin. I like to use small apples no wider than the mandolin to achieve perfect slices. Remove pips from the apples once sliced.
PLACE the apple slices, in batches,  into the simmering sugar syrup  for about a minute to soften a little. Remove with a slotted spoon onto a plate lined with paper towel.
PAT dry and arrange apple slices in a single layer on the prepared oven trays. A rule of thumb is one small apple thinly  sliced should roughly cover one tray.
BAKE for  an hour in a slow preheated oven. Flip the apple slices, rotate the trays, then bake for another hour or until apple slices are dry and lightly coloured. The apple slices will cook from the outside in and continue to crisp up once removed from the oven. To test if the chips are ready remove one from the oven and leave to cool for a few minutes. Test for crispness.
REMOVE trays from oven and leave to cool.
MEANWHILE make the toffee. Stir water and sugar in a small saucepan over low heat until the sugar has dissolved.
INCREASE heat to high and bring to the boil without stirring. Use a wet pastry brush dipped in water to brush down and dissolve any sugar crystals which form on the side of the saucepan.
COOK until the mixture is a light golden colour. Remove the pan form the heat. To test if toffee is ready drop a little of the mixture onto a saucer of cold water. If it “cracks” it is ready. The toffee will continue to cook a little once it is taken off the heat so be careful not to burn the mixture. If toffee is not quite ready return the saucepan to the heat and watch it like a hawk. Remove the pan from the heat each time you test the mixture.
DRIZZLE the toffee over the baked apple slices. It’s easiest to do this while the slices are still on the baking paper lined trays. I find it easiest to use a teaspoon for drizzling.
ALLOW to cool and store in an airtight container.