Popping apple caramel truffle candy is a crunchy, sweet, and fun treat that combines soft rice cakes, homemade caramel sauce, freeze-dried apple powder, a delicious chocolate coating, and a sprinkle of Pop Rocks candy. Perfect for the season and Halloween!
Popping Chocolate Caramel Apple Truffles
I’ll keep it real, I used to love Pop Rocks candy as a kid. And let’s face it. I still do. A literal sugar explosion in your mouth! And once I saw the green apple flavor at my grocery hidden among the Halloween candy, I became determined to use it in a dessert.
These candy truffles are a symphony of flavor and texture. Crunchy rice cakes serve as the base of the candy, while the flavors of apple cider caramel, freeze-dried apple powder, chocolate, and tart apple popping candy combine for a delicious mix.
And who doesn’t love a bite-size dessert like the truffle?! Like my strawberry cake truffles and s’mores truffles. The tiny little candy treats pack a wallop of flavor!
Everything To Love About The Candy
- No-bake dessert! – Since the recipe is candy, there is no need to turn on the oven!
- Tart and sweet apple flavor – The apple cider caramel, freeze-dried apple powder, and apple candy lead to a candy full of apple flavor.
- Fun treat for Halloween – In addition to homemade Halloween cookies and Halloween cupcakes, these caramel apple truffle candies will fit right in!
- Versatile treat – Change up the flavors inside and out to fit the season.
Candy Recipe With Pop Rocks
Because of the delicate nature of the candy (it likes to start popping when exposed to air and liquid!), the best application is as a topping. Which is only fitting, because we want to experience the trademark popping when we eat it!
I imagine the candy will be great sprinkled along the edges of a cookie sandwich or around the glass rim of a fruity drink, or in the center of a soft cookie.
But, if you’re like me, you will get way too many packets than you need and find yourself sneaking sprinkles of the candy straight from the bag! Just be sure to save enough to top the caramel truffle candy!
Key Ingredients For Popping Candy Truffles
- Rice Cakes – I made a batch of the caramel truffle candy with caramel rice cakes and apple cinnamon rice cakes. Both equally delicious
- Caramel Sauce – The key binder for the truffle candy. I’m a fan of homemade caramel sauce – either apple cider infused, plain caramel or you can have more fun and use candy corn caramel sauce! Store-bought will also work.
- Freeze-Dried Apples – You can find the dried apples in the aisle with nuts and other dried fruit. The apple powder adds even more apple flavor to the truffles.
- Chocolate – The truffle candy is sweet. A nice semi-sweet chocolate is what I recommend and you can use chocolate bar or chocolate chips.
- Pop Rocks – The green apple flavor is a perfect flavor combo. Though, feel free to use your favorite!
Kitchen Essentials
- Heavy Duty Saucepan – Only if you make your own caramel sauce. A nice heavy bottom saucepan will distribute heat evenly to cook the caramel evenly.
- Small Cookie Scoop – I highly recommend the cookie scoop to make scooping and shaping the truffles easy.
- Double Boiler – If you plan on making a lot of chocolate candy this upcoming holiday season, I recommend a double boiler set. It comes with super handy dipping tools as well!
Freeze Dried Apples
The apple powder coating on the truffle candy is yet another, literal, layer of flavor. Freeze-dried apples are just that – apples that have been freeze-dried to remove the water (and nutrients) from the fruit, but the flavor remains intact. And it is quite a robust apple flavor!
I am a huge fan of freeze-dried fruit because you can use it to flavor desserts without imparting moisture, thus altering texture. I use it in my strawberry frosting, peach panna cotta, and even in corn form in the caramel corn apple galette!
Helpful Tips
- This recipe is easily doubled – If you want to make a larger batch of caramel truffle candy for all the kiddos in the neighborhood!
- You cookie scoop will determine the number of truffle candy – A larger scoop, larger truffles. I like to keep the candy on the smaller side to make it easier to eat.
- Use any rice cake flavor – Fortunately, the rice cake makers realize the flavors that go best with the season! Caramel is yummy, but so is apple cinnamon.
- The caramel sauce can be warm – If you make your own, you can start mixing it with the rice cake crumbs when it is warm. Just be sure it is cool enough to handle to shape the truffle candy.
- The Pop Rocks candy likes to clump – Especially if there is a lot of humidity in the air. Don’t open the packet too early, or you have larger clumps of it.
- Freeze the truffles before coating in chocolate – Coating anything in chocolate benefits from a few minutes in the freezer. This way the truffle is easier to dunk and the chocolate will stick.
- Keep leftovers truffles in the refrigerator – The chocolate will get softer if it stays out too long. Much like any chocolate candy.
How To Make Caramel Candy Truffles
A quick, condensed step-by-step to make the truffle candy. Make sure to use the full recipe card below!
- Make the caramel sauce – The link to the separate recipe in the recipe card below.
- Crush the rice cakes – I like to put them in a ziploc and use a rolling pin to crush into small pebbles.
- Mix the caramel and rice cake crumbs – Give the mix a good stir with some salt, so all the rice cake crumbs are coated.
- Shape into truffles – Use a cookie scoop to make equal truffle portions.
- Make the apple powder – Pulse the freeze-dried apples to powder in a small blender.
- Roll the truffles through the apple powder
- Freeze the truffles – For at least 30 minutes. To give them time to set up, firm, and make chocolate dunking easier!
- Melt the chocolate
- Dunk the truffle candy in the chocolate – Make sure all sides are covered!
- Sprinkle on the Pop Rocks!
- Refrigerate the truffles for a few minutes so the chocolate can set up.
faq
Yes! The recipe is easily doubled.
Yes! There is plenty of flavor in the caramel, freeze-dried apple powder, chocolate and popping candy.
You sure can! Keep in mind the mix will be pretty sticky when you shape the truffles.
No, they are easy to bite and chew. They will only be hard if you try to eat a frozen one!
Yes! Place the truffles in a freezer bag, seal tightly, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator.
Popping Apple Caramel Truffles
Equipment
Ingredients
Caramel Apple Truffles
- 1 cup small rice cakes (caramel or apple spice flavor)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup apple cider caramel sauce
- 3 tablespoons freeze dried apples, ground to powder (optional)
Chocolate Coating
- ⅓ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ½ teaspoon cold pressed refined coconut oil
- 1 packet green apple pop rocks candy
Instructions
Apple Cider Caramel Sauce
- Prepare the caramel per the original recipe. You can also use maple syrup caramel, or store-bought caramel. Store the leftovers in a glass jar and refrigerate.
Caramel Apple Truffles
- Line the baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper.
- Place the rice cakes in a ziploc bag and crush with your hand or a rolling pin. You want small pebble-size pieces. Note – Depending on your flavor preference, you can use plain rice cakes, caramel rice cakes, or apple cinnamon rice cakes.1 cup small rice cakes
- Transfer the rice cakes to a medium mixing bowl. With a spatula, stir in the salt and caramel sauce. Note – The caramel sauce can still be a little warm, but cool enough to handle to shape the truffles.¼ teaspoon salt, ⅓ cup apple cider caramel sauce
- Use a small cookie scoop to portion equal size truffle. Roll the truffles in your hand to shape into balls (this may get sticky!). Place on the baking sheet and set aside while you prepare the apple powder.
- In a small blender, add the freeze dried apple pieces and pulse until ground to a powder. You will want about 2 to 3 tablespoons to coat the truffles. Pour the powder onto a small plate.3 tablespoons freeze dried apples, ground to powder
- Roll the shaped truffles through the apple powder and transfer back to the baking sheet. Chill the truffles in the freezer for at least 30 minutes – to give the caramel a chance to cool, and the truffles to set up firm. This will make dunking them in the chocolate much easier.
Chocolate Coating
- 2 options to melt the chocolate: 1. Place the chocolate and coconut oil in a small mixing bowl, and melt in the microwave in 15 second increments until mostly melted. 2. Use the double boiler linked at the top of the recipe. This is a great tool for candy making! Fill the pot with 2 inches of water and bring to a simmer. Add the chocolate and coconut oil to the top pot and stir until mostly melted.⅓ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, ½ teaspoon cold pressed refined coconut oil
- Dunk the chilled truffles into the chocolate. Use a spatula or spoon to make sure all sides are coated. Don't worry if some of the apple powder starts to come off. It will go back into the chocolate to make it tasty!
- Place the chocolate truffles back on the baking sheet. Top with a healthy pinch or two of the pop rocks candy (you may hear some preliminary popping – which is fine). Chill the truffles in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes to give the chocolate time to set.1 packet green apple pop rocks candy
- Because of the chocolate coating, store leftovers in the refrigerator in a ziploc bag for up to 1 week. Or freeze the truffles in a tightly sealed ziploc bag for up to 3 months, and thaw in the refrigerator.
RECIPE NOTES
- Serving Size – This recipe is easily doubled!
- Yield – The number of truffles will depend on how large you make them. I use a small cookie scoop to make 12 smaller truffles.
- The Recipe is Versatile – You can easily change the rice cake flavor, freeze dried fruit, and even the candy topping.
- Caramel Sauce – Store-bought will work fine for the truffles if you don’t want to make homemade.
- Rice Cakes – I like to use the smaller rice cakes because I think they pack bigger flavor – especially the caramel or apple cinnamon.
- Freeze Dried Apples – This is optional, but it adds more flavor to the truffles. You can also mix the apple powder in with the crushed rice cakes – before adding the caramel – and skip rolling the truffles through the powder.
- Where To Find Freeze Dried Apples – They are typically in the aisles with nuts and other dried fruit.
- Pop Rocks Candy – Use any flavor you like. The green apple is a classic flavor with the caramel. Some of the candy may start to pop when you sprinkle it on the truffles. This is fine – you’ll still get enough popping when you eat them!
about the author ...
I'm Erin and I'm all about desserts - and a little bit of butter!
I've tested, written, and photographed hundreds of recipes on my website. Here you'll find the tastiest small batch gluten free and traditional desserts - all homemade, all simple, and all for you!
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