For me apples are an absolute part of fall snacking and cooking. On a crisp fall day there’s almost nothing better than a freshly picked apple. Unless, of course, you start thinking about all of the different ways you could serve that apple. Last week I focused on apples in savory dishes, which was a fun exercise for my mind. In what new way could I incorporate apples into side dishes and main dishes. This past week I’ve been switching to sweet.
Sweet apple treats are omnipresent. We all have our favorite apple go-to, which typically is some version of apple crisp or apple pie. However, there are many more options out there. Muffins, cakes, ice cream, and more are great ways to serves apples in a more dessert-like fashion.
Before I share our new recipes, I wanted to take a peek at some sweet apple recipes from the TT archives and share a handful of sweet recipes, perfect as an afternoon snack or ending to a meal.
Caramelized Apples– Have a bowl of vanilla ice cream or a slice of pound cake handy? Don’t leave them plain. Give them a topping that turn either (or both!) into a delicious, seasonal treat. The apples also make an indulgent topping for French toast, pancakes, or waffles.
Apple Amaretto Chutney– Originally I created this recipe as a topping for brie, which it did well. However, like the previous recipe, it also would work well as a topping for ice cream and baked goods. Another way to use this chutney would be as a sauce for cheesecake. Envision that- cheesecake, apples, and amaretto. Yes. It needs to be made.
Apple Cake– Do you like caramel apples? I do, but they can be messy to eat and make. This cake delivers the flavors of a caramel apple with much less mess. Plus, it is a cake best served warm with caramel sauce dripping down the sides. On a cool fall day, warm cake definitely trumps cold apples.
Apple Bread Pudding– I’ve made fruit bread puddings in two different ways. One is to bake the fruit into the bread; the other is to add the fruit to the bread pudding. For this version I added apples to the bread pudding, which gave this dessert lots of apple flavor. Be sure to cube the apples the same size as the bread to deliver an even measure of texture and flavor throughout.
Apple Crisp– What apple dessert collection would be complete without apple crisp? For me, this is the classic apple dessert. My version includes oatmeal and flour. Others remove the oatmeal, add walnuts, use white instead of brown sugar. I’m not saying anyone else’s recipe is wrong, but I do believe mine is darn good.
Be sure to return to Think Tasty on Wedneday and Friday to discover new dessert recipes featuring apples!
