Clean the wax coating off of the apples by soaking them in a vinegar/water mixture. The candy won’t stick to the apples if the coating is present. Dry well.

Remove the stems and push a wooden stick into the center of each apple.

Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a saucepan, combine the sugar, water, corn syrup, and black food dye.

Cook over medium-high heat and stir everything together to combine.

Place the candy thermometer in the pan and bring to a boil it should reach 290 degrees Fahrenheit (this could take about 8-10 minutes).

Once the candy coating reaches 290 degrees Fahrenheit, remove it from the heat.

CAREFULLY add the salt and vanilla extract and stir together.

Dip each prepared apple into the saucepan and coat fully. Swirl it a couple of times to get a thick, dark black coating. Lift from the liquid candy and let the excess drip off.

Place the coated apple back on the parchment-covered baking sheet.

Repeat with the rest of the apples and let cool until hardened.