So you’ve just finished making some delicious caramel apples and are glaring at a messy kitchen. Congrats on making some VERY yummy treats, but now the question is: how do you store the caramel apples? In this post, I will give you some thoughts on how to properly store caramel apples and not need to worry about them spoiling or leave any sort of mess. Let’s dip in!
It Starts With Washing the Apple
If this is your first time making caramel apples, before making any sort of caramel apple recipe, it is important that the apple is clean and free of any wax residue that is on the apple – otherwise the caramel may slide off during storage.
Now you may be at a point where you have already made your caramel apples, and didn’t remove the wax. That’s okay, but just be aware that your caramel may slide off while in storage.
How to Remove the Wax from Your Apples
The easiest way to remove the wax from apples (for making caramel apples) is to dip the apple is VERY warm water. Not boiling, but close to it. Swirl the apple in the water for about 10 seconds.
Then remove the apple from the water and take a clean cloth or towel and dry the apple. Keep doing this until you notice a sheen on the apple. This will be a sign that the wax is removed. From there, store the apples in the fridge before adding your caramel as the caramel will adhere to the apple better.
Storing Your Caramel Apples
We shall now discuss different ways to store your caramel apples.
Let Your Caramel Apples Cool Down
Before storing your newly made caramel apples, make sure you let them cool down a bit at room temperature. This is to prevent condensation to occur on your apples and maintain their freshness. Here are some options to cool them down properly
Cooling Option 1: Silicone Baking Sheet
If you do any sort of baking, then I recommend you invest in a few silicone baking sheets as they are very diverse and a handy mat to have for cooling.
As you are making the caramel apples, have a silicone baking sheet ready so you can place the caramel apples on it.
Pro Tip: Because silicone baking sheets are pliable, place it on a baking pan so you can pick up all the apples without any falling off.
Cooling Option 2: Parchment Paper
If you don’t have a silicone baking sheet, parchment paper will work well also. If you are going down this route, make sure it is parchment paper and NOT wax paper as the wax may melt when you place the warm caramel apple on it.
Store Your Caramel Apples in The Refrigerator
Afer you have let your caramel apples cool down, place your entire baking sheet with the Silicone Baking Sheet or parchment paper right within your fridge. I like to ensure I have the available room in the fridge BEFORE making my caramel apples so I am not fumbling around while holding a tray of caramel apples with one hand.
If you don’t have enough room in your fridge for an entire baking sheet, you can use a plastic container to store your caramel apples. If you are doing this, just make sure the apples don’t touch each other as they can end up sticking together.
How Long can Caramel Apples Last in the Fridge
In most ideal conditions, Caramel Apples can last in the fridge for up to 3 weeks. I personally recommend you keep it to a max of 10 days as the delicious caramel apple will lose it’s flavor after that amount of time.
How Long do Caramel Apples Last Unrefrigerated
I actually don’t recommend eating caramel apples that have not been stored in the refrigerator. Unless you eat the caramel apple the same day, the unrefrigerated food can potentially make you sick. According to Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences:
“Under no circumstances should consumers eat caramel-covered apples that have not been kept stored at refrigerated temperatures,” said Luke LaBorde, Casida Development Professor for Food Safety in the Department of Food Science. “Doing so can place one at risk for serious health issues.”
So how long can caramel apples last unrefrigerated? 2 hours max.
How to Store Caramel Sauce
Now that you know how to properly store your caramel apples, you may have some leftover caramel sauce. Don’t throw that away as there are a few things you can do with it!
1. Turn it into small caramel candies
If you have some parchment paper, you can take your leftover caramel sauce and mold it into small square and wrap them up in the parchment paper!
2. Store in a plastic container
Because caramel sauce can be reheated, you can easily store your extras in a plastic container. I recommend plastic over glass as this will prevent the caramel from sticking.
Conclusion
We have covered several topics in this article, from washing your apples to storing your caramel. But the most important is learning how to properly store your caramel apples.
I hope this newfound knowledge serves you well for your next batch of caramel apples!
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