I would think you would want to cook it to soft ball, 240. I am not sure what you would cool it to. I just made caramel last night, and dipped cookies in it. I only let it cool about 10 minutes. I guess it just needs to be thick enough to adhere to the apple. Sorry I am not more help.
Sherry

Thanks sherry, I guess I'll give it a try and hope for the best.Lynette

I always cook it to at least light crack, and I never bothered to let the caramel cool- it didn't cook the apples or anything. Keeping the caramel hot is the big trick- if it gets too cool you can't dip any more. Keeping the pot in a sink full of hot water helps.

Thanks Colleen- I was wondering if it would cook the apples. I will just start dipping as soon as it reaches light crack.

Personally, I would not cook to light crack or the coating is more light candy apples than caramel apples.

Ok Sherry...show us the money...er cookies!

Actually, candied caramlized apples sound pretty good too.

I just dipped some chunks of fudge a few days ago. Cooked to about 243 and then started dipping without cooling. I had to reheat a few times but my stove goes pretty low so I just worked off the stove.

I am not anything like a guru (see all my "Stupid candy-making question" posts), but even uncooled it worked pretty well. Maybe when you begin you can test a slice and see if it gets too cooked?

Here's a recipe from Food Network Canada chef Christine Cushing. She says to put pot in bowl of iced water to stop it from cooking and to let mixture cool to 200 degrees before dipping apples.

Caramel Apples

Yield: 4

McIntosh apples seem to be the classic apple to use for caramel apples but try Pink Ladies, Granny Smith or use your favourite apple.

1 1/3 cups light brown sugar, packed (325 ml)
1/3 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (75 ml)
1/2 cup 35% whipping cream (125 ml)
4 tbsp golden corn syrup (60 ml)
pinch of salt
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (7 ml)
4 McIntosh apples or other tart apples, wash, dried
4 cinnamon sticks, popsicle sticks, dowels or clean twigs

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Make sure to wash and completely dry the apples, give them a polish too - this will ensure the caramel sticks to the apple. Firmly insert stick into stem end of each apple. Set aside.

Add sugar, butter, cream, corn syrup and salt to a tall saucepan (the pan needs to be tall enough so the apple can be immersed in the caramel but smaller in width so you get the right volume to dip.) Over medium-low heat, stir the mixture until the butter is melted.

Bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until the temperature reads 245 degrees F, about 9 minutes. The mixture will thicken. When the caramel has reached 245 degrees F. remove immediately from the heat and place the bottom of the pot in a stainless steel bowl (or larger pot) of ice water to stop the caramel from cooking further. Be careful not to get any water in the caramel. Remove caramel from the ice bath.

Stir the vanilla into the caramel. Let caramel cool slightly to 200 degree F., about 5 minutes, before dipping.

Dip the apple into the caramel, holding the apple firmly by the popsicle stick. Be careful not to touch the caramel, itÂs extremely hot. Slowly lift the apple out of the caramel letting the excess drip off back into the pot of caramel. Twirling the apple gently will help to remove excess caramel. Place apple on prepared baking sheet.

Note - if all the caramel runs off the apple, let caramel cool a couple of minutes more. If caramel becomes too thick to work with, gently warm it over low heat for a few seconds.

Let caramel cool completely on apples before eating, approximately 30 minutes.

Note: If you are using a cast iron pot to do this DO NOT immerse in a bowl of ice water unless you want to run the risk of having the pot crack from thermal shock.