$20 for a caramel apple? That seems to be a crazy price for an average-sized caramel apple, but there are people willing to pay that much. I certainly wouldn't buy that apple, especially when it's not even a candy apple. I much prefer candy apples to caramel apples, and seeing this high-priced apple got me thinking about candy apples.
Most sources claim that red candy apples were invented first, by William Kolb, a candy-maker in Newark, New Jersey around 1908. Based on my research, that origin tale is false, as candy apples existed prior to 1908. Sources also claim that caramel apples were first developed by Kraft Foods in the 1950s. That again seems to be false, although Kraft might have later helped popularize them.
Although I found multiple references to "candy apples" in 19th century newspapers, none of the references were specific enough to identify their actual nature. So, although candy apples, as we know them, could have existed in the 19th century, there's insufficient evidence to prove that is the case, and more research is warranted.
Some of the 19th century references also seem to indicate that some of the references to "candy apples" were merely a type of candy, and not what we think of when we think "candy apple." For example, in the Hartford Courant (CT), November 26, 1896, there is a reference to "candy apples" but they are described as "...all of the colors of the rainbow, each was as large as a marble, and all were mounted on sticks." The article seems to indicate they were a type of candy, and didn't any actual apples.
However, I was able to find multiple, specific and detailed references to candy apples which predated their alleged invention in 1908. The St. Louis Republican (MO), November 5, 1900, published an article about local candy shops that were lowering their prices. It also mentioned that one of the shops had introduced a "Russian delicacy." The article continued, "The new thing was candied apples on a stick. The apples were raw but the candy was red and sticky, and altogether winning." A competing candy store quickly learned how to create these candied apples, and the price dropped from 3 for a nickel, to one penny each, and finally to 2 for a penny.
It's clear then that Kolb wasn't the inventor of red candy apples. And it's also intriguing that candy apples might have a Russian origin.
The Buffalo Evening News, July 19, 1904, provided a recipe for a "candy apple" that stated "place apples pierce with bits of wood (like skewers) where the stems had been. These are placed in a pan and covered with a common brown taffy." This isn't a red candy apple but seems more similar to the caramel apple, as it was covered with a softer coating.
There was another reference to a red candy apple prior to 1908, in The Times Herald (MI), December 9, 1905, which published an article about the holiday season and mentioned "Red candy apples for the holiday time may be easily made at home by dipping small perfect apples in a bath of hot candy colored a brilliant red."
As for caramel apples, I found a recipe which extends back to 1904. decades earlier than Kraft's alleged invention, although it didn't include a stick. The Kansas Agitator (KS), November 25, 1904, printed a recipe for "Caramel Apples" and stated, "Steam sufficient pared and cored apples, and when cold, pour over them a thick caramel sauce....Whipped cream improve them, but is not necessary."
The Minnesota Journal (MN), January 27, 1908, also had another recipe for Caramel Apples, but again no stick was required. Their recipe though added nuts to the caramel sauce on the apples. The Osawatomie Globe (KS), March 12, 1908, included the same recipe but added some introductory comments, noting "Caramel apples are a dainty dish served at a Boston restaurant which caters to the feminine taste." That recipe, with the introduction, would be reprinted in numerous newspapers across the country.
The stick appears! The Seattle Star (WA), October 2, 1931, provided a recipe for a caramel apple, as a Halloween treat, and the apple was put on a stick. The apple was covered in caramel, without any nuts or other toppings. The Nebraska Farm (NE), October 21, 1931, noted that, due to Halloween, "All over the country, children are making apples-on-a-stick." The article provided a recipe for a caramel apple on a stick, but also covered with shredded coconut. So, it is also clear that caramel apples weren't created by a Kraft employee in the 1950s.
Candy apples, with their distinctive red candy shell, are usually made with a flavored boiled sugar recipe, while Caramel apples are covered with melted caramel. There is a huge textural difference between the two, one with a hard outer shell and the other with a gooey exterior. The popularity of each varies across the country, though I've been noticing over the last several years, to my dismay, an increase in the ubiquity of caramel apples locally.
I love red candy apples, especially covered with coconut. It's often a challenge to take that first crunchy bite into the hard shell, but it's rewarding. With a fresh, crisp apple, the candy, coconut and fruit make for a very appealing treat. For me, the caramel apple fails. I love caramel, from a nice sweet sauce atop ice cream to a salted, gooey center of a dark chocolate. But I don't like its soft gooey texture on a caramel apple. It's too soft, and just doesn't seem complementary to the crisp, juicy apple. Plus, maybe it's also a bit sentimental, as growing up I most often had and enjoyed red candy apples.
Why has the popularity of red candy apples waned? What is behind the rise of caramel apples? I don't have answers to these questions but I want to be able to more readily find red candy apples.
Do you prefer red candy apples or caramel apples? And why?
(This article has been revised/expanded from a previous post from 2020).
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