It's apple season. You will hear no complaints from me. I adore apple season and all the fantastic treats you can create with them. We are lucky enough to live near a pick-your-own orchard, and we try to make it there at least once during the season, but our favorite place to get apples is the farmers market.
I have to say I'm biased when it comes to my grower. I befriended a particular vendor early on in my farmers market shopping, and I continue to look to him first before even considering apples from other orchards. His apples are always good quality, and when he sells seconds, they're always fabulous as well. In fact, I recently purchased two full pecks of seconds to bake with.
Applesauce | Applesauce is one of my favorite treats. Sweetened with maple syrup or honey and loaded with cinnamon, I like mine a bit chunky and warm it up to eat it. It's perfect for canning.
Apple Rings | My grandma called these apfelradln or apple radlns for the little ones. She would core and slice apples thinly and give them a bath in sugar and rum. Dip in batter and fry. If you're looking to opt out of the sugar, try just a small amount of stevia mixed with cinnamon.
Apple Crisp | Apple crisp is a must for us. The entire family gets excited when this follows dinner. Warm, steamy apples and a crunchy topping combine for the perfect fall dessert.
Baked Apples | Everyone seems to have their favorite baked apple recipe. I prefer mine cut in half, topped with maple and cinnamon, maybe a bit of nutmeg and a healthy dose of pecans. How do you like yours?
Apple Tarts | Using the galette dough from all those summer tarts, you can move right into the fall season. Just toss 1 cup of sliced apples in a squeeze of lemon juice and a ½ teaspoon of cinnamon. Stir in a bit of honey or maple syrup and fill in mini 4" rounds of dough. Fold up the sides and brush with a bit of egg yolk, bake at 350º F for 15-20 minutes until brown. It's a fantastic impromptu dessert for a chilly evening, and it's great for the holidays too.
What are some of your favorite apple recipes?
Photos by Shaina Olmanson
