Apple appeal
The sturdy fruit makes for simple but satisfying cool-weather desserts
There’s something about apple desserts that makes them remarkably alluring. The fruit’s sweettart personality builds flavors that, in all fairness, are hard to beat this time of year. Plus the smell of cinnamon and other spices is comforting.
For the home cook, there is joy in the simplicity of apple-based desserts. Sure, there’s time spent peeling and coring, but it can become a pleasing, Zen-like motion with the right background music.
When it comes to which apples to use, some varieties are best cooked, while others are better eaten raw. Some are delicious either way.
Granny Smiths are often the first choice for baking. Their pucker-up tartness and crisp texture often make them the first choice in tarts, pies or crisps. But don’t rule out the crunchy texture and sweeter flavor profiles of Honeycrisp, Fuji and Gala apples; they are great for snacking as well as baking, although their increased sweetness and juiciness can require a sugar reduction as well as a shorter baking time.
Nuts in apple desserts add texture contrast as well as a rich flavor that some describe as “buttery.” Recently a reader told me she doesn’t like to add nuts to baked goods because they taste “nasty.” It turns out she was storing them at room temperature for long periods of time. Most nuts are quite perishable. Store shelled nuts at room temperature for no more than three months. After that they need to go into the fridge or freezer. Store shelled or unshelled nuts in the refrigerator for up to six months, or in the freezer for a year or so.