Caramel apples-- caramel now, fancification later?

[TeakettleSlim]

We're planning to have an Apple Festoon party as part of our autumnal celebrations. The idea is that guests will come and dip/decorate their own caramel apples. We did this a few years ago and discovered some problems with the plan-- namely, the period of refrigeration between dipping and rolling it in stuff, and then again before going home with it.

This year I thought we might try dipping them in caramel ahead of time, and then having guests just roll them in stuff. Or maybe have chocolate available for dipping, if they want to wait.

But how to re-soften outside of caramel so nuts and whatnot will stick? Seems like popping them in the oven would make the caramel slide off. Hit it briefly with a hair dryer? Anyone have any ideas? There must be a way to streamline this.

[Baselerd]

So your problem is that it takes too long for the caramel to cool and solidify? If you remelt the outside, won't you have the same issues again?

[TeakettleSlim]

Well, I was hoping there was a way to just rewarm it enough for stuff to adhere to the outside without necessarily heating it all to the temperature it is when initially dipped.

[Lisa Shock]

You could try hitting them with a blowtorch, carefully. That said, you'd want to be the one doing it and lock the torch up when not in use.

Another idea might be to dip them and refrigerate, then have some warm caramel in a plastic squirt bottle (think mustard and ketchup picnic bottles) sitting in a pan of simmering water. Drizzle on the extra caramel then roll. It won't give 100% coverage, but, it should work.

[TeakettleSlim]

Ah! Squirt bottle! Very clever. For the chocolate, too.

Thank you! You have saved our party. Probably.

[Lisa Shock]

You can do it with the chocolate, but, you'll want to monitor the temperature carefully so it doesn't go out of temper.