Wash and dry your apples. If there's any moisture left, bubbles can form when you coat them in the candy. Also, make sure they haven't been waxed.

Insert bamboo skewers in the apples and set them aside.

Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper and grease the paper with butter.

In a saucepan, combine the corn syrup, the sugar, the water and the food coloring and, over medium high heat, bring the mixture to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves.

Once the sugar is dissolved, lower the heat to medium and let it boil, without stirring, until it reaches hard crack stage. Temperature should read 300/310 degrees on a candy thermometer. Another way of knowing is to drip some of the candy in a cup with cold water. If the candy solidifies, it is ready.

Dip the apples into the candy, swirling them to get rid of any excess, and set them in the prepared baking sheet.

Let them cool for at least 30 minutes before serving.