The drum rapidly spins the sugar around the stick to produce the familiar puffy pink cloud and its sweet, sticky scent of hot sugar. Toffee apples were originally a medieval luxury for the wealthy nobility of England. They were sold at the numerous fairs held to celebrate religious feasts and were made by coating apples with a mixture of boiling honey and beeswax. Toffee apples have remained a fairground treat, although nowadays affordable by everyone. The contrast of crisp fresh apple flesh with the sweet brittle toffee is delightful.
Toffee apples are easy to make at home - although they are best eaten on the day they are made.
Wipe the apples, remove the stlaks and insert a wooden stick into each stalk end. Put the sugar, butter and water into a heavy pan and heat over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Dip the apples into the toffee, then into cold water to set the toffee. Place on waxed paper and eat the same day. She contributes to a wide range of magazines and newspapers in the U.K. Carol specialises in food history and regional dishes of Europe and America, and the traditions associated with them.