Chocolate Caramel Apple Cauldron decorated with modeling chocolate

I just had to find time in my crazy Halloween schedule to get this recipe posted.  Our witch themed party inspired me to transform a chocolate dipped caramel apple into a cauldron complete with flames and bubbling brew made out of modeling chocolate.  I made my own caramel apples and pushed the stick into the apple at an angle so that it would look like a large spoon stirring the cauldron. I am very pleased with how the final cauldron turned out even though I know I could have made them even more elaborate by sculpting some ingredients for in the pot, like eye of newt, and wing of bat, but my time is limited right now. My list of things to do before our party doesn't seem to be getting any shorter (don't know how that is possible, but it sure seems to be the case), so I have to get back to work. Enjoy the recipe.

Chocolate Caramel Apple Cauldron (makes 6-10)

Before you begin, if you aren't experienced with making chocolate, read my tutorial regarding types of chocolate, how to melt chocolate, and troubleshooting any problems you may encounter. You will also need to make white and dark modeling chocolate and the recipe is also in the chocolate tutorial.

Ingredients:

6-12 caramel apples (the size will determine how many you can make)
16 ounces melted and tempered semi sweet chocolate
               or melted dark cocoa candy melts/confectionery coating
1 recipe white modeling chocolate (click here for recipe)
1 recipe dark modeling chocolate (click here for recipe)
food coloring/icing coloring (I used neon green, yellow, red, orange)

Special Equipment Needed:

baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a Silpat non-stick liner

Instructions:

If your caramel apples have a footer (a round bottom where the caramel has puddled) use a knife or kitchen shears to cut it off. Use your hands to round the bottom of the apple. This will ensure a nice round cauldron.  Dip your caramel apples into the melted and tempered chocolate (or melted candy melts/confectionery coating) to fully cover your apple.  Pull the apple up out of the chocolate allowing the excess to drip off.  A great way to help remove the excess chocolate is to dip the bottom of the apple back into the chocolate, pull it away quickly, and repeat a few times.  This motion draws the excess chocolate away from the apple.  Set the apple on a baking pan lined with parchment paper or a Silpat.

You don't want a footer of chocolate on your apples.  If after you set your apple on the parchment paper it forms a big footer, pick it up before it dries, and move it to another spot on the pan.

If using tempered chocolate, refrigerate until set.  If using candy melts, freeze until set.  If your cauldrons look really shiny when dry, use a pastry brush or paper towel to rough them up a bit.  You want them to look like an old cauldron, not a shiny chocolate apple.

To decorate the cauldrons: knead some dark modeling chocolate then roll it into a long log about 1/2" thick. Wrap the log around the very top of the cauldron. Cut off excess and pinch two ends  together.  Color some white modeling chocolate neon green. Pinch off very small bits of it and roll into balls.  Brush the top of the apple inside the cauldron brim very lightly with water.  Gently press the small green balls of modeling chocolate inside the top of the cauldron. The water will act as glue.  Roll out or flatten a ball of neon green modeling chocolate and cut into a circle to fit inside the brim (every circle will be a slightly different size. I used a 2" round cookie cutter.) Use a knife or a #10 round pastry tip to cut a hole in the circle of modeling chocolate.  Pick up the circle, place the hole over the end the caramel apple stick, and work the modeling chocolate down onto the apple.  Press the green modeling chocolate over the green balls tucking it in around the edge of the brim, creating the look of bubbling brew.

My first attempt at these cauldrons (pictured above) wasn't a success.  I stretched the round of green modeling chocolate over the top and brim of the cauldron, pinching off pieces to look like dripping bubbling brew.  Then I made the small balls with some white mixed in and filled the cauldron.  I don't think it looked like bubbles and wasn't happy with how the brim was concealed by the dripping modeling chocolate.  In the end, I  also thought it needed flames and handles.

So, I fixed the bubbling brew and added flames and handles. To achieve this effect, color some white modeling chocolate red, orange, and yellow then pinch off pieces and press them together, flatten, then roll it out to 1/16" thickness. Use a mini tear drop and a leaf cutter or a knife to cut out your flames.  Brush a very small amount of water on the backside of each flame and press them onto the side of the cauldron at the base. 

For the handle, pinch off a small amount of dark modeling chocolate, roll into a very thin log, cut, and create a circle. Also cut a piece that's about 1/8" long. Pinch together the ends of the circle and press the small piece on top of the seam. Use a dab of water to glue the handles to the sides of the cauldron.

To create the dripping bubbling brew, pinch off very small amounts of neon green modeling chocolate, roll into balls, flatten into tear drop shapes, and attach to the brim of the cauldron.

If you like this recipe, please share it with others by using the share buttons below. I really appreciate being Stumbled Upon and Pinned, and am always grateful to those of you that share my ideas on your website. I do request that you don't post my entire tutorial, but rather share a picture with a link. If you make this recipe, I'd love for you to send me a photo to beth@hungryhappenings.com so that I can share it here. Thank you for visiting Hungry Happenings

- Beth