Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine sugar, water, corn syrup, and black food dye.

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

Place the candy thermometer in the pan and let the candy mixture heat up and boil until it reaches 290 degrees F (about 8-10 minutes).

While the candy coating heats up, prepare the apples.

Rinse them under water, dry apples with a paper towel, and remove the stems.

Push a wooden stick all the way down into the center of each apple.

Once the candy coating reaches 290 degrees F, remove it from the heat. Add the salt and vanilla extract and stir well.

Dip each apple into the saucepan and coat fully. Swirl a couple times to get a thick, darker black coating. Lift the apple out of the sugar coating and let the excess drip off.

Place the dipped apple on the parchment covered baking sheet that you set aside earlier.

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