My Candy Apple is too brittle, how to prevent?

I am cooking the candy mixture to 302°F and dipping right away, but the candy seems to be brittle and not holding to the apple when you either cut into it or try and bite into it.

How can I prevent this?

I am using the following ingredients:

3 cups sugar
1 cup water
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
White food coloring
2 additional colors of food coloring (I made marble apples)

Best Answer

As already suggested, maybe you should try for Soft Crack instead of hard crack.

If you are unable to rely on the thermometer just try a cold water test. Drop some hot candy in to iced water. Stop cooking after the hard ball stage. As soon as it will form pliable threads. See

These tests show what happens as the candy cools, and so predict what the final candy will be like. Even if your mix needs a different temperature from the 302 F you are aiming for it should work. Make a note of what the indicated temperature is on your thermometer, and if the candy apples are ok then on future batches just use that thermometer and that temperature.

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How do you keep candy apples from breaking down?

They may be cooling too fast. In most recipe using dipping chocolate they use shortening in the chocolate. Might try a tablespoon of shortening in the chocolate. Also like Ann said keep the apple at room temperature.

Why are my candy apples cracking?

Smooth and Delicious Candy Apples Fortunately, by placing the apples in hot water with baking soda or white vinegar you can rid of their wax coating. After carefully drying them, this will allow the candy to stick smooth, free of bubbles.

How do you make candy apples smooth?

The candy will stick in an instant! If the candy mixture gets too hard during the dipping process, simply re-heat it over medium heat and continue coating the apples. Serving the apples in colorful cupcake wrappers is a fun way to jazz up your Halloween party spread.

How To Prevent Your Apples From Being Sticky

Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Images: Nataliya Vaitkevich, Andres Ayrton, Nataliya Vaitkevich, Pixabay