Red Hot Apples

My friend Molly shared this awesome family recipe with me, a Thanksgiving favorite in her family. It's one of those ones I can't resist, that sound so kooky and off-the-wall that you know you want to try it. Red hots....and apples? Cooked together? But it works. I expected the apples to be overpowered or too sweet because of the candy, but they hold their own and the result is surprisingly subtle. The red hots turn into a delicious syrupy jelly and the apples just suck it up, becoming delicious molten balls of fruit and spice. 

This recipe has been in M.'s family for generations and she read it to me from an adorable spiral bound cookbook made by her mom featuring all of her grandmother's recipes (in her handwriting!) What a treasure and so pretty (that old-fashioned cursive!) I only wish I'd had my good camera to do it justice, but iPhone pics will have to do (it's hard to cook and photograph the process, y'all).

Thanks for sharing this family secret, M.!

I halved the original recipe, which you can kind of make out above.

Ingredients:

4 apples

1/2 - 3/4 cup red hots

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

pinch of salt

Directions:

Peel and core the apples and place them in a pan or skillet big enough so that they rest in a single layer. Add the red hots, sugar, and water, and cook over medium heat, stirring to make sure that the red hots dissolve properly (you don't want any resting on top of the apples or they won't liquefy. So sort of scatter them around the apples). Cover and cook until apples are tender, flipping them a few times at intervals to make sure they are evenly coated in the liquid. You should also make sure to baste them with the red hot liquid once or twice during the cooking process.

The apples are ready when they are fork tender and "red enough," as Molly's Grandma Dorothy put it (I think this means that if you're doing it right, they should look just like stewed tomatoes). You can always add more red hots if need be. Uncover and let the liquid reduce into a thick jelly. We ate our apples warm, but Molly assures me they are just as good served cold. I'll have to try that next.

Does your family have any interesting Thanksgiving favorites?