Keto Candy Apples

Ingredients

• 8 red apples
• 400g low-carb sweetener (like erythritol or monk fruit sweetener)
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 4 tbsp sugar-free syrup (like sugar-free maple syrup)
• a few drops red food coloring (optional)
• 8 sticks, chopsticks or lolly sticks

Instructions

1. Remove the stalks from the apples, then put them in a heatproof bowl and pour over boiling water from the kettle to cover them and leave for 3-4 mins. Remove with a slotted spoon and pat dry.
2. Push the sharpest end of each stick into the stalk-end of each apple, making sure it's firmly wedged in. Put a large piece of baking parchment on a board.
3. Tip the sweetener into a large saucepan, add the lemon juice and 100ml water. Bring to a simmer and cook until the sweetener has dissolved. Swirl the pan gently to move it around, but don’t stir. Add the sugar-free syrup and simmer the mixture until it reaches 'hard crack' stage or 150°C on a sugar thermometer. If you don't have a thermometer, test the toffee by dropping a small amount into cold water. It should harden instantly and, when removed, be brittle. If it's soft, continue to boil. When it's ready, drip in some food coloring, if you like, and swirl to combine. Turn off the heat.
4. Working quickly, dip each apple into the toffee, tipping the pan to cover it fully. Lift out and allow any excess to drip off back into the pan before placing on the baking parchment. Repeat with the remaining apples. Gently heat the toffee again, if you need to. Leave to set. Best eaten on the same day.