Making Candy Apples

by Andrea
(Malden, MA)

Why didn't the candy harden on the apple?

I was making candy apples (LOVE THEM!!) and followed all the directions but the candy NEVER hardened.

I don't have a candy thermometer and thought I'd try the glass of water test -- where you take a spoonful of the mixture and drop in a glass of water and it's supposed to harden immediately or form strands in the water, like thread, which it did.

I coated all the apples and they looked GREAT, just the way they're supposed to look -- this is where I may have gone wrong -- I placed on wax paper, BUT put them in a zipped plastic bag to protect them...maybe no air for them???

Not only the next day didn't they harden, but the candy started to melt off of them -- now just looks like a gooey mess all over them....NOT ONE hardened....what did I go wrong???

Gotta know, love to make them again....should I just go buy a candy thermometer??
Thanks so much.

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Hi Andrea,

Making candy apples is the perfect fall pastime! Yes, I would say a candy thermometer is a good investment. It makes things just that little bit easier, in my opinion.


I don't necessarily think the temperature was the problem in this situation - particularly since you passed the "strand test." :)


My first guess is that the apples were waxed and that led to the difficulty in getting your candy to stay put. If you purchased the apples from the grocery store, chances are they were coated along the way in wax to keep them fresher longer.


Try dipping the apples (very briefly) in a pot of boiling water just to melt the wax off and then completely dry them with a soft towel.


Placing the candied apples in the zipped plastic bags before they were fully set and cool may have contributed to the problem. I know that there is often a cellophane wrap on store bought candy apples, so they should be able to be wrapped without falling apart.


Anyone else have any helpful tips for Andrea?

~Angie