There's something special about caramel apples. They conjure up seasonal vibes and memories of childhood. And Chicagoans know it's Fall when Affy Tapple-brand caramel apples appear at the local supermarket, often in a display close to the store's entrance.
Caramel apples are created by dipping apples on sticks into hot caramel. When other toppings, such as nuts, are added, the caramel apple can be called a taffy apple.
Chicago's Affy Tapple company was founded in 1948 when Edna Kastrup, a bookkeeper for a local confectioner, invented her signature caramel recipe. The recipe is still used by the company today.
The Kastrup family opened their Affy Tapple factory and store at 7117 N. Clark Street in 1952. They chose the name "Affy Tapple" so that they would appear first in the confectionary section of the telephone book.
In the 1960s, Affy Tapples began to be sold for local school fundraisers. For many, "Affy Tapple Day" was a favorite day of the school year.
By the 1980s, Affy Tapples could be found at Walgreens, Jewel-Osco, and other local grocery stores.
In 2000, Affy Tapple moved to a new factory and store in Niles.
In 2001, Affy Tapple bought Mrs. Prindables, a gourmet line of hand-dipped taffy apples, some coated in chocolate, marketed as gifts.
In 2020, Affy Tapple and Phase Three Brewing joined forces to create a caramel apple-flavored beer.
Today, Affy Tapple makes about 10 million caramel apples per year. During its busy season, the factory produces about 350,000 caramel apples daily, churning out nine apples every second. The apples are sold in over 20 states and can be shipped anywhere in the contiguous United States.
Affy Tapple uses mostly Gala, Jonathan, and Empire apples. The caramel is cooked in small batches using old-fashioned copper kettles, just like it was done over 70 years ago, but now cutting-edge technology is used to monitor the process.
Affy Tapples can still be sold for fundraisers. A fundraising kit can be found on the Affy Tapple website.
In 2023, Affy Tapple's Director of Product Samantha Kowalczyk told the Chicago Tribune that the company's success is due largely to nostalgia. Customers "might have bought it on Clark Street or sold it for a fundraiser," she said.
Caramel apples are also special because they're usually only eaten at a certain time of year. They also require a bit of time and effort to eat, making them usually reserved for rare or special occasions. Of course, you can remove the stick from the caramel apple and cut it into slices before eating for a less messy experience, but that might ruin the fun.
However (and whenever) you like to eat caramel apples, here's a recipe to make your own. Even though they taste great, it's difficult to make them look perfect. That's why I'm calling them perfectly imperfect.
Perfectly Imperfect Taffy Apples
*Based on a recipe by Irvin Lin of Eat the Love
4 medium-sized Gala, Jonathan, or Empire apples, room temperature
1 cup white sugar (Organic sugar won't work in this recipe.)
2 tbsp. light corn syrup
2 tbsp. water
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
2 tbsp. heavy whipping cream
1/4 tsp. salt
1 c. chopped peanuts
4 caramel apple sticks (Popsicle sticks or disposable chopsticks will also work.)
Line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper. If your apples are store bought and shiny, they're probably coated in wax. Clean them with hot water and a clean scrubby sponge to get the wax off. This will help the caramel stick. Dry and stab each apple with a stick. Place the peanuts in a bowl.
Place the sugar, corn syrup, and water in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Stir with a fork until all the sugar is wet and there are no dry spots. Microwave for 5 minutes or until the liquid sugar starts to brown.
Remove the bowl from the microwave. Using oven mitts to hold the bowl, swirl the sugar around. Don't mix with a utensil at this point, just swirl until it turns dark brown. Then add the butter and stir carefully. Once the butter has melted, add the cream and salt and stir carefully. Continue to stir for 2-3 minutes. To test if the caramel is ready, dip a spoon into the caramel and lift it up. If the caramel coats the back of the spoon without sliding off completely, it's ready.
Take the first apple and dip it into the caramel. You will have to roll it around and tip the bowl to cover as much of the apple as possible. Then dip the apple in the bowl of peanuts. It will probably not look perfect, and that's OK. Set on the lined baking sheet and repeat with the remaining apples.
Note. If you want to make 8 apples, make another batch of caramel with a clean bowl rather than doubling the recipe.
Sources:
Richard Requena, "Affy Tapple Celebrates Its 75th Year, Dipping Apples Into Caramel at Niles Production Plant," Chicago Tribune (October 6, 2023).
Roseanne Tellez, "Affy Tapple Marks 75 Years of Delicious Tradition," Fox 32 Chicago (October 2, 2023).
A. C. Grimes, "The Untold Truth of Affy Tapples," Mashed (October 24, 2020).
"Caramel Apple," Wikipedia.
Irvin Lin, "Caramel Apple Recipe--The Easiest, Simplest, Basic Recipe, All Made From Scratch!" Eat the Love.
Neil Gale, "The History of Affy Tapple, Chicago and America's First and Original Caramel Apple," Digital Research Library of Illinois History Journal (June 17, 2019).
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