CANDY APPLES

8 wooden ice cream bar sticks
1 c. water
1/2 c. light corn syrup
1/2 tsp. red food coloring
8 sm. Red Delicious apples
3 c. sugar
1/4 c. red hot candies

Insert a wooden stick part way through the stem end of apples. Grease a large cookie sheet; set aside.

In a 2-quart saucepan, combine remaining ingredients. Over medium heat, heat mixture to boiling without stirring. Boil, without stirring, until candy thermometer reads 290 degrees, or when a little of the mixture dropped into cool water separates into thin hard threads, about 20 minutes.

Remove saucepan from heat. Tip saucepan, swirl each apple into mixture to coat. Quickly swirl apple over saucepan to allow any drips to fall back into the pan. Place apples on a cookie sheet to cool. Cool at least 1 hour before serving. Yield: 8 candy apples.