Chocolate Caramel Apple Bacon Bites

This week for my PIGskin Challenge I thought we'd try something sweet and who doesn't like candy coated apples at Halloween! I was aiming for a little more sophisticated version... 'cause we all know a blog with dancing pigs in the header is all about sophistication:@) I think these Chocolate Caramel Apple Bacon Bites would be great for a grown-up Halloween party! The fun toothpicks are from Michaels.

I started the PIGskin Challenge to try new recipes and give an honest review of them. Most of the things I've made have been pretty easy, but I can't say that about these little treats folks. They are tasty, they are indulgent, they are great... but they are not easy.

Things don't want to stick to the cut edges of the apple. Truthfully I wanted these to be just caramel and bacon but the caramel refused to play nice and just ran off the apple, even after I dried it with a paper towel. So Ma suggested melted chocolate and that worked better. Thanks Ma!

Chocolate Caramel Apple Bacon Bites

1. Wash and cut an apple in half, then quarters and finally eighths.
2. Cut the core out of all the pieces then cut each slice into 2 or 3 pieces depending on how big the apple is. You want bite sized pieces, it's best to get the whole thing into the mouth at once.
3. Melt chocolate your favorite way (I used the microwave).
4. Stick a sturdy toothpick into the peel side of the apple and dip in chocolate completely covering all cut edges. Place the pieces on a parchment, wax paper or silicone lined cookie sheet and place in the fridge to firm up. The longer the apple sits out before dipping the wetter it gets, I did dry them with a paper towel before dipping in chocolate.
5. Very carefully and very gently peel/nudge the apples off of the baking sheet. You may find that the chocolate that's touching the paper/silicone wants to stick and break off of the apple. You really need to have a delicate touch for this part.
6. Melt caramel per the instructions on the bag (I added a few drops of water and used the microwave). Let it cool a bit or it will melt the chocolate.
7. Dip each piece into the caramel and then into finely chopped cooked bacon.
8. A note about the bacon: I did try using my mini food chopper to dice up the bacon... yea, don't do that, I just ended up with a gummy mess. A chef's knife worked just fine. I used 4 slices for one apple.
9. Place on a clean cookie sheet or platter and refrigerate until ready to serve.
10. They may weep just a bit, but they are mighty tasty!

Have a happy day:@)

I'm joining:
On The Menu Monday
Crazy Sweet Tuesday
Full Plate Thursday