Crackling Candy Apples

Why I Love This Recipe
A fall treat perfect for halloween.
Ingredients You'll Need
8 sm Red apples
2 c Granulated sugar
1 c Water
1/2 c Corn syrup
1/4 ts Red food coloring
Directions
Remove stem from each small apple; insert wooden stir-stick, for holding, in centre of stem end. Set aside.
Grease baking sheet; set aside.
In 12-cup heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine sugar, water and corn syrup; cook, stirring, over medium-low heat for 8 minutes or until sugar has dissolved.
Increase heat to medium-high and bring to boil, brushing down side of pan occasionally with brush, dipped in hot water to prevent crystallization.
Boil, brushing down side occasionally but not stirring, for 15-25 minutes or until soft-crack stage of 290F 143C on candy thermometer, or until 1/2 ts syrup dropped into cold water separates into hard but pliable threads.
Remove syrup from heat; very quickly stir in red food coloring.
Immediately plunge bottom of pan into ice water and hold for about 15 seconds or until sizzling stops.
Holding each apple by the wooden stick and tilting the saucepan, swirl each apple in candy syrup until well coated all over.
Lift apple and quickly swirl over pan to allow excess to drip off.
Place on prepared baking sheet; let stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes or until hardened.