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How long will the apple in a caramel apple stay crisp once it's been dipped in warm caramel?
Are there any tricks to extend its shelf life?
Let's assume we're starting with a large fresh Granny Smith apple that's been partially impaled on a wooden skewer. Let's also assume that none of the apple is exposed - it's just caramel and stick.
Oddly I have a coworker who bought a caramel apple and then left it in its plastic on his desk for about 4 years. We didn't photo document its decline but I should be able to recall.
After about a week the impalement point became quite unappealing. The area around the stick darkened and softened (it seemed, I didn't touch it). The rest of the skin looked fine. After several years the caramel looked perfectly fine but misshapen and the apple had dried and shriveled inside of it.
Based on that, and my own experience, I would conclude that a refrigerated caramel apple would have about the same life as an uncarameled apple except for the core which would need to be avoided.
As for extending the life? Perhaps pour wax around the stick entry point to buy yourself a couple days?
Don't use a stick, keep the stem of the apple and use that and a spoon to dip the apple in the carmel and chocolate. The apple will have a longer shelf life.
