Does anyone give candy apples to kids on Halloween anymore? I remember getting one once when I was trick or treating. I think they gave it to me either wrapped in a napkin or maybe just by itself, just thrown in the bag. Not sure what I was supposed to do with it after the other candy got on it. I'm talking about the sugar glazed coating, not the caramel variety.

Today is National Candy Apple Day, which fits nicely on the schedule since we're doing Candy Day all day at Slashfood and it also happens to be Halloween.

I like caramel apples more. They're one of those foods you eat a lot less of when you become an adult, but I think this fall I'll make them again.

If you had braces at any point while growing up, you probably missed out on the opportunity to indulge in caramel apples. The orthodontist probably told you that they were too sticky to eat, but the real difficulties lay in taking a bite from the fruit without getting it caught up in your braces. And let's face it: while it may be much more practical to simply slice up the apple, it's just more fun to try and eat it off its stick when you're a kid.

Fortunately for anyone who missed out on this childhood opportunity, Bon Appetit has a great tutorial for making better-than-ever caramel apples, which have a few more steps than the Kraft apples that simply used melted caramel candies as a coating, but are definitely worth the effort. The caramel uses butter, maple syrup and sweetened condensed milk to give it a smooth and rich flavor. The apples are, of course, tart granny smiths that contrast well with the buttery coating. Too bad you can't give out non-storebought goodies at Halloween and expect to have any trick or treaters enjoy them. I guess you'll just have to eat them all yourself!