Nothing beats biting into a crunchy juicy seasonal apple, just ask Snow White….but there is more to this round gem than just filling your fruit bowl. When fall rolls around apples are everywhere, practically dropping from the trees, here is my guide to getting the most out of your seasonal fresh apples.
Choose a better apple: Smooth, firm and free from blemishes, a fresh apple should be bursting with colour (but don’t let the wax coating on many super market apples fool you) and aroma. If your apple sounds hollow when you tap it, it has seen better days and will only disappoint.
Know your Golden Delicious from your Gala:
- Golden Delicious, Granny Smith and Rome Beauty apples are great for baking pies, cobblers and crumbles because they maintain their bite after cooking.
- Ida Red, Cortland and McIntosh apples are great for apple sauce, they are sweet, and easily dissolve when cooked.
- Fuji, Red Delicious and Empire apples make the perfect snacking apples.
Store your apples well: Store in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 weeks and wash when you are ready to use them. Apples stored at room temperature have a tendency to become mealy and fall prone to spreading decay quickly. Apples with bruises or punctures will spread decay amongst the whole batch, so turn your apples often to keep them healthy and fresh.
2 new ways to enjoy apples this season: This month I am putting a modern twist on the classic apple crumble by infusing my par-boiled apples with star anise and cinnamon before adding them to my crumble. It offers a little unexpected aroma to the crumble that takes it from taste to utterly fabulous. Once done, I reduce the apple stock, add white granulated sugar and turn an otherwise simple apple syrup into a autumn syrup that can be surved over ice cream, in cocktails and even drizzled over pancakes for an extra special Fall treat.