For many kids and adults, candy apples are an autumn staple food! For my fellow New Jerseyians, candy apples bring back the nostalgia of summers at the Jersey shore. Today, we’re going to observe a youtube video titled “How to Make the Perfect Candy Apples.” Although the video does not feature a local Vermont chef, it is important to note the recipe can be replicated with local Vermont ingredients.
In the video Chef Jennifer Martello invites you into her kitchen to demonstrate how to perfect this delectable treat. As a quick recap, here are the key steps observed in the video:
- Start w heavy bottomed saucepan
- Add ½ cup light corn syrup
- Add ¾ cup water
- Add 2 cups granulated sugar
- Add ½ teaspoon red food coloring
- *note though she does not tell her readers to hand mix the ingredients lightly, she does
- Place on the stove with candy thermometer
- Boil to 310 degrees
- Leave in the pot boil to prevent crystallization
- Place Wax paper on sheet pan and grease the paper
- She uses granny smith apples, but any apple could be substituted and sticks wooden skewers down the middle
- Once the mixture is heated, take and swirl the apple really quickly and place flat on the parchment paper
- Be careful not to burn yourself
- Allow to cool before serving –20 min
- Store at room temperature
So now that we know what the video is really about, how does this relate to us, the viewers? According to Donald Campbell’s definition of the Social Learning Theory this practice would be referred to as “modeling,” Meaning that we, the viewers show our engagement by simply watching the segment and how Chef Jennifer makes candy apples without really attempting ourselves to make them. For many YouTube “How To” tutorials, viewers are proving Albert Bandura’s idea of the Social Learning Theory. For one, Bandura believes that we can learn simply by observing others. Now, I have to ask, do you feel as though you can make these treats on your own because you’ve watched Chef Jennifer do it? (I know I think I can!) Bandura’s theory also states that “major gains in vicarious learning come when the observer develops a conscious awareness of the technique involved,” this rings especially true when Chef Jennifer shows herself using the “swirling method” to coat the apples and by tilting the pan to get a fast coating.
So now I have to ask, after watching this tutorial, how many of you are likely to try and replicate this recipe?
WP 3/22
Great post! I love the nostalgia of candy apples and how you guys incorporated it into the video and tutorials. very interesting! can’t wait to read more!