Caramel Apples

These caramel apples tasted exactly as a caramel apple should.  I was very pleased with the simplicity of the caramel and the richness of the flavor.  It definitely beats buying caramel apple kits!

Adapted from Taste of Home

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
dash of salt
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
10-12 popsicle sticks
10-12 medium tart apples

Notes / Directions
Melt butter in a sauce pan.  Add brown sugar, corn syrup, and salt.  Over medium heat, bring to a boil, stirring constantly with a wooden spatula.  Slowly add sweetened condensed milk and insert a candy thermometer, always stirring.  Bring to a boil and continue to stir and cook, carefully scraping all surfaces of the bottom of the pan, until temperature reads 248° (firm-ball stage).  Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

Push popsicle sticks into the tops of the apples and prepare a greased cookie sheet.  Take apples and dip and twirl in the caramel till completely covered.  Let excess caramel drip off and then place on the cookie sheet.  Let caramel cool and then serve.