Chocolate-Toffee Apples

Ingredients

• 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate finely chopped
• 0.7 cup brown sugar packed
• 2 tablespoons butter 
• 2 tablespoons plus 
• 1 cup sugar 
• 2 tablespoons cup heavy whipping cream 
• 1 cup pecans toasted chopped
• 0.1 teaspoon salt 
• 0.5 teaspoon vanilla extract 
• 0.3 cup water 
• 12 small frangelico red firm

Equipment

• frying pan
• sauce pan
• wire rack
• microwave
• candy thermometer

Directions

1. Rinse apples; dry well to remove waxy residue. Insert a craft stick into stem end of each apple.
2. Place pecans in a shallow dish.
3. Combine sugars and the next 4 ingredients (through butter) in a small, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring just until sugar dissolves, and bring to a boil. Cook, without stirring, until a candy thermometer reaches 325 or until syrup begins to caramelize.
4. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla and salt.
5. Working quickly with 1 apple at a time and holding apple by its stick, dip in caramel mixture, tilting pan and turning apple to mostly coat apple; allow excess to drip off. Quickly dip apple in pecans.
6. Place apple, stick side up, on a cooling rack; let stand until set.
7. Place chocolate in a microwave-safe dish; microwave at HIGH 1 minute or until melted, stirring every 20 seconds until smooth.
8. Drizzle chocolate over apples.
9. Let stand until set.