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So you’re ready to make caramel apples, eh? Well knowledge is power, so here are some ways to guarantee success.

10 TIPS FOR MAKING CARAMEL APPLES

1. BUY INDIVIDUAL APPLES. You don’t know what you are getting if you buy apples in a bag. Yes, buying the bag is cheaper, but you want to bite into a hard, crisp apple… not one that’s soft with bruises.

2. WASH THE APPLES. Apples produce their own wax naturally. Many growers (even organic) also add another layer of USDA-approved wax to give them shine and retain moisture. You’ll want to remove this wax so the caramel will stick. Simply place the apples in a colander and pour on boiling water. Dry completely to remove the white film.

3. USE FOOD-SAFE STICKS. Chopsticks, craft sticks or pop sticks are perfect for holding the apples. It’s very Pinteresty to use sticks you’ve gathered outside. Unless you’re going to boil these twigs and let them dry out thoroughly, pass up this idea. Do you really want to use something that a squirrel sat on earlier in the day?

4. CHILL YOUR APPLES. Line a baking tray with parchment paper, put the sticks in the apples and then put the apples on the tray. Refrigerate until ready to dip. This will help the caramel stick!

5. USE THE RIGHT POT. Use a heavy pot. A heavier pot distributes the heat evenly so you won’t get “hotspots” and burn the caramel.

6. GET A THERMOMETER. A candy thermometer is absolutely essential. Many recipes give you visual clues, but what I may consider “dark amber” someone else may find to be “already burned.” Don’t risk it.

7. USE A SILICONE SPATULA. A heat-resistant spatula allows you to really scrape the sides of the pot so the caramel doesn’t overcook and burn.

8. HAVE THE DECORATIONS READY. This goes back to basic mise en place; have everything in place before you begin. You want the decorations on plates and ready to go before the caramel on the dipped apples cools too much.

9. DECORATION PERFECTION. When decorating the caramel-covered apples, roll the apples in the decorations (nuts, candy, whatever) or put the decorations in your palm and press them gently into the apple. If you try to sprinkle on the decorations, they will just fall off. Get ‘em to stick the first time.

10. HAVE PATIENCE. Making caramel apples takes lots of patience. Waiting for the caramel to reach the right temperature. Waiting for the caramel to cool before decorating the apples. Waiting for the decorated apples to set before you can dive in and finally eat them…

Now that you’re armed with these 10 Tips for Making Caramel Apples, click here to find the Perfect Caramel Apples Recipe. And if, by chance, you have any leftover caramel… pop some popcorn and pour it on top. Now that’s enchantment!

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Have you ever made Homemade Caramel Apples?

I’m not talking about Caramel Apples made with those cute little candy squares that you buy in packages.

I’m talking about REAL honest-to-God Caramel Apples that you make from scratch from REAL HOMEMADE Caramel. This is the Perfect Caramel Apples Recipe.

You absolutely need a candy thermometer for this recipe. A lot of recipes will give you visual cues, but using a thermometer will guarantee that you’ll get it right the first time (yep, I learned the hard way).

If you’re wondering what kind of apples to buy, get what you like to eat out of hand. Honey Crisps are delicious but HUGE! Granny Smiths are tart, but balance out the sweetness of the caramel. Red Delicious are pretty bland, but tend to be uniform in shape.

Decorate the apples or leave them plain… they’ll be delicious no matter what you do!

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Have you ever spent hours and hours cooking something deliciously marvelous on the stove only to turn your back for ONE SECOND and find it’s burned? Stuck to the bottom of the pot burned? Two-day-soak burned?

Yep. That’s happened to me, too. Notice the past tense. HAPPENED. Never will again because I’ve got a Pauli Cookware stockpot.

“What,” you say. “a pot that keeps you from burning your food?” (I’m blaming the pot… did you catch that?)

Yes… that’s EXACTLY what I’m saying.

I met Paul Scioscio, the inventor of Pauli Cookware, at the Housewares Show earlier this year. I honestly didn’t believe what he told me: I could leave a pot on the stove for hours and never have to stir or worry that its contents would burn. He sent me one and I tried it out…

Now I believe.

Pauli Cookware has a patented 7-layer commercial grade stainless steel and aluminum bottom that wraps around a hermetically sealed oil chamber. The oil heats up and distributes the heat evenly, so your food cooks without burning.

Here’s a demo:

Because of the way the pot is made, you can’t cook on high heat… that means no frying or sautéing. I thought this might be an issue when searing meat for a stew, but the bottom of the pot still gets hot enough to deliver a nice brown color.

You have to wash the Pauli pot by hand, but I don’t put my cookware in the dishwasher anyway (you shouldn’t either!). Pauli Cookware comes in 3 generous sizes: 7 quarts, 11 quarts and 16 quarts. It works on all cooktops, including induction.

I’m always looking for help in the kitchen, and for ways to avoid “operator error”… like burning something. In that regard, my Pauli Pot’s got my back!

If you’d like to order your own Pauli Pot, click on the link on my sidebar! Tell them Mama sent you! I’ll have some really fabulous recipes using my Pauli Pot over the next few months.

Cati asks: I got this weird looking thing as a wedding shower gift. I assume it’s for cooking, but what is it and how do I use it?

First of all, congratulations on your marriage. Second, whoever gave this to you wants to make sure you don’t burn any newlywed suppers!

What you received is a stovetop heat diffuser (also called a simmer plate). It evenly distributes heat across the bottom of the pan when you cook over very low heat… like when you have to simmer a delicate sauce or braise a roast. It’s also great for melting chocolate!

A heat diffuser gets rid of “hot spots” because it reduces the intense heat from reaching the pan… the heat is diffused. Consider a heat diffuser as an added layer of protection between the burner and the bottom of the pan. It’ll keep you from scorching lightweight pots and pans or cracking clay, porcelain and glass cookware.

Using it is simple: just set it on top of the burner (gas or electric, but not induction) and place your cookware (pot or pan) on top. Make sure you let it cool down completely before moving or storing it.

Cati, your diffuser is tin-plated steel with a nice wooden handle. Heat diffusers are also made with dark anodized aluminum, enamel cast iron and perforated steel discs (with or without handles).

So, have fun using the diffuser and consider yourself lucky! I mean really, have you seen some of the odd-ball stuff people give as gifts at wedding showers?!