First up... I'm saying Happy 4th of July with Glittery Candy Apples!!  I simply cannot believe 2014 is halfway over.  The older I get, the faster time flies...
I'm just sitting  here realizing that 17 years ago this week I had been married almost 11 months, was 40+ weeks pregnant with my first baby boy, living in Idaho - thousands of miles away from all of my family, and clueless about life in general... ha!
Boy it's been a fun ride. Â Â Sorry. Â I have no idea what took me down that rabbit trail, but back on track....
Two days ago I got this email:
Hello, my name is Daphanie and I was wondering if you could help me, Do you or have you ever did candy apples in a metallic silver or gold?? I really been researching it but found nothing, and also how can I glitter my candy apples.. I really need help.
Well, since I've been asked this at least twenty-hundred times since posting about how to make candy apples in any color, I figured I really needed to make it a priority to answer.  But since I'd never actually made a metallic shiny or glittery apple - I had to experiment first.
My original plan had been to just experiment with silver and gold, but as I was digging through my container full of disco dust and luster dust, I noticed that I had blue, silver and red disco dust. Â And I was all, "Aha!! Â I can make red, white (silver), and blue apples for the 4th of July!!!"
So I did. Â And now I'm sharing them with you. Â Aren't they pretty?? Â I think the blue is my favorite of these!
Anyway, since it's a holiday and all (or it will be in like 20 minutes... I really have to stop blogging at midnight-thirty), I'm not going to type out the whole tutorial tonight (it's really not that long - I'm being dramatic), but I'll do my best to get it posted in the next few days!
The short version is this... make this candy apple recipe - except use only white gel coloring.  Sorry that pic is low quality - I just snapped a couple of quick shots of the white apples - I should've "posed" them better 😉
Once they were hard, I painted them with simple syrup (50% water, 50% corn syrup), then dusted them with disco dust and let them dry.   **I know that disco dust is not approved by the FDA, but it is non-toxic, so we ate them.  I wrote more on this topic here.**
UPDATE: Â Click HERE for a tutorial!
In the meantime, I hope you all have a fabulous holiday weekend!!
I'd love to hear... how do you celebrate the 4th of July? Â We usually have a family get-together, eat lots of good food... usually something off the grill... and we either shoot fireworks at home, or go see a show in a nearby town!
Joanne
They look fantastic! but you really should get some rest! Thanks for the post and I am looking forward to seeing the longer version because you always add something else that makes me laugh! You must be a hoot to live with- a lot like me and my sister! Again, thanks for sharing your talents!
Rose
Haha... I never consider myself funny, but thank you!! I always hope to entertain. And boy oh boy am I resting this weekend!!! I'm moderating comments sitting on my bed watching a Hallmark movie 😉 Have a great weekend! Hugs, Rose
Kristal
How do I get the flavoring to taste
Sally Keszey
Hi, Thanks for this post! I loved it and went out right away to buy disco dust. I cheaped out a little and decided not to buy silver thinking I could leave some of the apples white. But, the coating doesn't stay white? My turned a beige color-- is that right? So do you need the white coloring at all if you're just going to put the disco dust on? Thanks! Happy 4th!
Rose
Awesome Sally!! My apples actually stayed pretty near perfect white - you may have let the sugar cook a little too long? I'll add a picture to the post so you can see. My concern with not having the white background was the green or red from the apple showing through. I figured white would be a better color to "bleed" through than green or red. But you could certainly try it without and see how it turns out!
Tasty Tre'sures
I often come to your page for tips, so let me first say thank you for sharing. I also attempted doing just the white food coloring and it turned off white and tasted more like a caramelized taste instead of candy, I noticed that you said the sugar may have gotten over cooked so did you cook yours a shorter time or turn your heat down, how did you adjust this?
Rose
I've only done the white ones the one time and they turned out great. You'd still need to get them up to the hard candy stage and I'd guess just work very quickly before it gets any hotter or stays that hot for too long. I know that's not terribly helpful but that's the best I've got!
Daphanie Sanders
Thank you sooo much, I really appreciate this post!! 🙂
Lisa H
what alternative is there to disco dust and would it work if you just added it to the syrup
Rose
I'll share some other options soon, but none of them are as sparkly as disco dust. And you know - I'm not sure if that would work or not... maybe?? But you wouldn't want it to add the white coloring if you did that. Just use clear candy and the glitter.
Karla White
I've tried to add the dust to the syrup before. Bad idea!!!!! It change the consistency of the syrup. It turned very hard. I'm going to try this simple syrup mix and paint them. Sounds like a much better way to me
Rose
Yay! I hope it works for you!!
Roshunda Releford
Hello, I have been wondering how can you make an all white hrad candy apple? I know your suppose to use thewhite gel food coloring but mine somehow turn brownish...could you PLEASE give out the ingredients as well as instructions please...thank you
Rose
I have already in my original post here: How to Make Candy Apples Any Color (just leave them white vs. adding another color).
Mrs.Godfrey
Hey Rose !!!
I'm a big FAN of yours.. But anywhoo lol.. how much disco dust does it take to cover one apple ??? Please and thanks !!
Rose
I buy the tiny little jars (5g I think?) and I was probably able to cover 4 or 5 apples. I'm not 100% sure.
Joy
How do you apply the simple syrup? I have tried and my apples always end up sticky...How do you apply the disco dust?
Marcella
Hello,
I want to make these apples in blue and cover them in glitter. They will be for my daughters bday party. Is there any other type of glitter I can use that the kids can eat besides the disco dust? I read that the disco dust is not edible?
Rose
I'll be doing a post on this topic Friday! Come back to see then or sign up for my free email newsletter and you'll get the post in your inbox!
Martini Merrit
Disco Dust is edible. I use it to decorate cookies and cakes. It's approved by the fda. There's other types of edible glitter if you look at bakery shops micheal's Walmart joann
Rose
I won't argue, but I will say that this is the disclaimer now included on MANY of the websites that sell disco dust: "They are classified as "non-toxic for decoration only". Although they are non-toxic, they are not a food product and should not be considered as such. The weight is listed as an approximation per the packaging label." I found this disclosure here and on every other disco dust that they sell: http://www.countrykitchensa.com/shop/cake-decorating-supplies/american-red-disco-dust/38/653/1581/633285/.
Also here - direct from the manufacturer: " An extra fine glitter with lots of sparkle. 5 grams. Developed for the craft industry and often used on display cakes, Disco Dusts contain only ingredients that are NON-TOXIC. These dusts are not FDA approved. They are not a food product and should not be considered as such." - http://www.ckproducts.com/categories/316/Disco-Dust
shanita
Hi, is there a glitter that is edible that i can use on the apples?
Rae
Disco Dust is PLASTIC GLITTER. WHY in the world would you ever, ever, put it on FOOD? When something says "for decoration only", it means that it must be REMOVED before the food is eaten. Non-toxic is NOT the same as edible!!!!! Aren't we exposed to enough questionable stuff by accident? How can anyone who makes FOOD for people to eat justify covering the food in tiny PLASTIC bits? It makes no sense at all.
yvette
thank you!! I agree and i hate seeing things like this because people that don't bake or aren't knowledgable would just use it. This is so wrong on so many levels to advocate using disco dust on edibles. People depend on pages like this for good advice. They are beautiful but it is not intended to be consumed.
Donesia
Thank you so much for sharing. I've been searching all over for the glitter apples.
Mimi
Disco dust is NOT edible & its NOT approved by the FDA, do your research people, yes its pretty but its not edible.
Maheen
Honestly with all the stuff WE do eat that is put into our food and whatnot, the glitter is the LEAST of our worries. I actually watched a Youtube video where one of the types of videos the user makes, is he does stuff from pinterest.
More often than not, it turns out to be a bust. One such these Purple grape, galaxy apples.
Guess which apple look EXACTLY like the one in the picture? The one he used regular, craft glitter for. That was when he mixed it into the melted jolly ranchers. Otherwise, you need to add the glitter on top with a brush of something.
Rose
Wow!
Christa
Thank you so much for this tutorial. I appreciate the fact that you straight up explained that the disco dust was non toxic and not FDA approved. I think that all of us mature adults can use our best judgement and if we decide against using some product we can just not use it and not leave you nasty immature posts when you clearly were straight up about it. Any who . . . do you think luster dust would work ? I have seen on cakes shows where they airbrush the cakes too or would it not cling to the candy coating since it is a different textured surface.
Rose
YES - I do think luster dust would work beautifully!! And thank you... I appreciate your support xx
Amanda
Hi Rose. I have followed the recipe but cannot get that opaque look and white residue remaining in my finished mix . I'm using 2 tablespoons and not teaspoons of the bight white squeeze gel paste and 1-2 teaspoons and not tablespoons of gel paste color choice. Is that correct? Should I stir the mixture? I'm not sure what's going wrong following the recipe. Please help.
Thanks
Rose
Yes, you do want to stir to equally disperse the coloring in the candy!
Amanda
Thanks. I didn't stir because the instructions stated not to do so. One more question, what order do to put ingredients in the pot? Should I start with water and color to mix before adding the sugar and syrup? By the way, I love your sharing and inspiration to others. The apples are beautiful.
TASHA
hello
TASHA
i would like to know after i dip my apples how can i get my candy to stick to the apples like some nerds or gummy worms or nuts.
TRACY MORGAN
HI, IM GOING TO TRY THE GLITTER APPLES THIS WEEKEND. MY QUESTION IS, DO I COOK THE SIMPLE SYRUP FIRST OR DO I JUST ADD 50 % KARO SYRUP AND 50% WATER AND THEN PAINT THE APPLES? THANKS IN ADVANCE YOUR POSTS ARE SO HELPFUL.
Rose
I didn't cook it at all. I just whisked it together and used it as paint.
shay
you can make edible glitter by taking sugar adding food coloring then placing it in the oven..... i'm gonna try your recipe with that recipe i found on the net. thanks for the recipe btw!!!
Nicole Douglas
Can I purchase the luster duster or disco dust at any craft store like a Michael's or a Hobby Lobby..
Rose Atwater
Yes, those stores usually carry the luster dust - at least here where I live.
Debra
How many apples does one container of glitter make.
Rose
I'm not really sure! I've only done a handful of these and never done big batches.