Toffee Apples and Pears

1. Pour boiling water in a large bowl and dunk the fruit a couple at a time, removing them within seconds of being dunked in the water. This will remove the wax coating from the skin of the fruit and allow the toffee to stick to the skin and coat evenly. Dry the fruit thoroughly.
2. Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper and set aside. Push lollipop sticks (or branches) into the apples and pears.
3. In a medium, heavy-based saucepan, add 2 tsp. water and the golden caster sugar and heat gently until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to the boil and add the golden syrup, vinegar and butter and allow to boil for approximately 12 minutes until the temperature reaches 300°F on a sugar thermometer. This is the correct temperature for the sugar syrup to set around the fruit and crack when bitten into. Test by dropping a small amount of sugar syrup into a bowl with cold water, and if it forms into hard brittle threads then it's ready.
4. Remove the saucepan from the heat and then dunk the apples rotating them in the pan until fully coated and then immediately dip into the chopped hazelnuts or pretzels and place on the baking sheet up right to set. Repeat until all the fruit has been coated. Note: if the toffee feels like it is stiffening then place back onto a low heat to melt it back down taking care not to burn it. Once all toffee apples and pears have been coated and dipped, remove the lollipop sticks.
5. Cut small strips of baking paper and place a couple over the hole and then push the stick into the original hole of the lollipop stick. Shape the ends of the baking paper into leaves and crinkle the paper slightly, if you like. Serve on the same day.

Additional notes:

Get all your elements ready before tackling.

The toffee will be red hot, so only adults should make this. Don’t let it drip on your skin, as it will burn!

Work quickly after coating in the toffee. Dip in the hazelnuts and/or pretzels as the toffee will set quickly.

The size of twigs in these images are purely for aesthetic purposes. You’ll need much thicker ones if you actually want to use them to lift the apples and pears. The baking paper stops any dirt going into the fruit.