I am the youngest member of my family at the age of 21. My family and I vacationed at the charming Walt Disney World for this past New Year's celebration.
I relived my childhood by falling, star-struck, for the elegantly dressed Cinderella and the practically- perfect- in- every -way Mary Poppins. I was heart broken when the five days passed and it was time to leave this magical world and return home to the unsettling 24 degree weather that I unfortunately call home. However, still feeling the rush of childish excitement in my sou,l I was eager to recreate the magic at home as much as possible. After putting on the soundtrack of Fantasia as background music, I invented a recipe to recreate a chocolate- and -caramel covered Mickey Mouse apple with the help of an established pastry chef (aka: my brother's girlfriend), Kate Hearter. This is how it went down:
Recipe:
Ingredients:
1 large apple of your choice
1 1/2 c. Granulated sugar
1/4 c. water
1 c. Heavy cream
2 bars of dark chocolate
Red sanding sugar
2 yellow jellybeans
1 large marshmallow
Procedure:
In a medium saucepan, bring sugar and water and calmly boil over medium heat. Let the sugar and water bubble until brown approximately 315 degrees.
Once sugar has browned, remove pan from hea. Carefully pour in cream and stir. This will create steam, so be careful not to get burned. Let caramel sit at room temperature to cool until the proper caramel consistency forms for dipping (about 10 min). Dip the apple completely in the caramel using a form inserted into the top of the apple.
Place apple onto plate and refrigerate. (Approx 10 minutes) Meanwhile, put chocolate on double boiler until melted. Once the caramel apple is set, dip in melted chocolate, but move quickly so you do not re-melt the caramel. Allow chocolate to set up slightly before rolling halfway in red sugar. You want the sugar to stick, but not for the chocolate to drip off into the sugar.
Put chocolate coated apple onto a clean plate and return to fridge, until chocolate is hard and set. Meanwhile, cut a large marshmallow in half width-wise and, using toothpicks, dip pieces into melted chocolate. Place on parchment and let set in the fridge also.
Once apple is set, take jellybeans and dip ever so slightly into the chocolate and place them on the apple as you would see buttons on Mickey's "pants."Return apple to fridge to set.
Once buttons are set, attach marshmallow "ears" to the apple in the same fashion as the jellybeans.
Voila! Mickey Mouse Apple time!
is a member of the 
