A do-it-yourself caramel and chocolate apple bar is a fun idea for any gathering this time of year and it works for kids and adults alike! Using apple slices instead of whole apples makes it easy for guests to create different combinations. Plus, it’s easier to eat one slice at a time anyway. No double dipping allowed!

Here are the basic steps to get you started. Just remember to have fun with it and make it your own! Fresh fruit, whether dipped or not, is a great gift to send as well.

Materials Needed:

* Apples (Different Kinds Are Welcome)
* Chocolate for Melting (White, Milk & Dark is Always a Fun Option)
* Caramel
* Head of Iceberg Lettuce
* Kale
* Container to Hold the Chocolate Dipped Apples
* Skewers
* Crunchy Options for Dipping (We Used Crushed Toffee, Walnuts & Toasted Coconut)
* Apple Corer
* Lemons
* Signs to Explain to Guests (i.e. Label the Macintosh Apples as “Macintosh”)
* Various Display Dishes

Preparing the DIY Apple Dessert Bar:

* Choose a few different varieties of apples.
* Wash apples before coring and slicing.
* Core and slice apples.

* To prevent the apples slices from turning brown, put the slices in a bowl and squeeze a lemon or two over the slices. Gently mix the slices with a wooden spoon so that they are coated with the lemon juice.

chocolate-covered-apples-with-lemon

* Prepare the container that you will be using to hold the skewered apple slices on the buffet table by compactly filling it with a head of lettuce. For a fancier look, use pieces of kale to cover the lettuce.

lettuce-kale-dessert-bar

* Insert a wooden skewer into the bottom of each apple slice.

chocolate-covered-apples-skewer

* Place the other end of the skewer into the cabbage and continue adding apple slices until you have filled out the container.

chocolate-covered-apples-diy

Chocolate Dipping Dishes:

Start with the “glue” – melted milk or white chocolate or caramel sauce. Use microwave safe dishes and pop them in right before serving. I recommend having an extra set of the melted dips so that you can quickly replace them as they start to cool off, rotating them out throughout the party. You could also keep the melted chocolate or caramel sauce on the buffet table in a small crock pot or keep the individual bowls on a warming tray.

chocolate-covered-apples-dipping

Next is the crunch. The choices are endless! We used crushed toffee, walnuts, toasted coconut, and turtle crunch. Fill up bowls with the topping and have spoons available for easy coverage!

chocolate-covered-apples-toppings

Setting Up the Buffet

With All the Bells & Whistles
Thinking about the idea of an apple for the teacher, I went for a bit of vintage school house charm here. An old wooden framed blackboard sets the tone; To carry it through, the topping signs and apple ID tags were made to look like chalkboard signs but were actually made on the computer!

And what else brings a smile to the teacher – a pretty bunch of flowers! To match the rest of the look I combined red roses, spray roses, and rose hips in a simple mason jar tied with a red gingham bow.

chocolate-covered-apples-bar
Author

Julie started her career in the floral industry over 30 years ago in a small, family-owned flower shop. From floral designer to author and lifestyle expert, her insight has been instrumental in developing the 1-800-Flowers.com brand. Representing the company’s floral lifestyle vision, Julie has shared her talent and passion in numerous television appearances and national magazine features. She is an active fundraiser and longtime friend of IGHL, a group dedicated to facilitating a more independent life for developmentally challenged adults.

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