One of my favorite treats is caramel and apples, most usually just the store-bought caramel will do. I'm not terribly fussy when it comes to something like that. However, if I'm entertaining, which I used to do quite a bit, I want to go a bit farther than a tub of dip and a cut-up apple. This was delicious and when I read the recipe in gourmet class, could NOT wait to try it. The first time I got to sample it, I didn't make it; the girl next to me did. She didn't like it. I told her she was nuts. It's a bit unusual for a cheese ball, but hey, who says the norm is always the way to go?? The cheeseball is an alternative to "straight" dipping apples. I like to drizzle the caramel on top of the nuts when serving. I have also just spread the mixture on a graham cracker and topped with an apple slice. It's up to you to use the caramel. Passive time is refrigerator time, but is very approximate.
These drizzled confections look gorgeous and taste over-the-top yummy. With peanut butter flavor and a salty burst, they'll be the treats you can't wait to make each year. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
They're CRUNCHY and CHEWY and SWEET and SALTY and have a touch of CHOCOLATE... the ultimate snack! I get the peanuts and caramels in the bulk food section of the grocery store. It took me a couple of tries to get the caramel right (if you use 2 tablespoons water like some recipes for caramel apples call for, it stays too gooey; if you don't use any water, the caramel gets hard as a rock!)