While apple picking season in Maine officially ends in the fall, you can easily use apples year round for baking. Many of these varieties that are best for baking are grown right here in Southern Maine. That’s why we’ve put together this article on the best apples for baking.
Of course, fresh is best. However, if you want to bake something with apples during the off season, you can always go with supermarket-bought fruit. This is what my husband did with the apple crisp he made for Christmas — he went to Hannaford and Market Basket for his apples. Had he made an apple pie, I know he would have reached for his embossed rolling pins to make a gorgeous pie crust.
What is the difference between baking apples and regular apples?
When you compare regular eating apples with baking apples, the big difference is how much sugar they have. This sugar content affects their taste when you bake them.
When looking for apples to use in baking, you want to reach for those that are more on the tart side than sweet. These tart apples also have less water. This helps them to keep their shape and stay firmer when you bake them.
So, if you’re thinking about which apples to use for baking, go for the tart ones. The best apples for baking are crispy, firm, a bit sweet and tart and can handle the oven’s heat without turning mushy.
While all apples can be eaten, not all apples are equal when it comes to baking. Some are better than others. So, experiment to find the best apples for making your apple bread or cobbler.
For instance, with that aforementioned apple crisp my husband made for Christmas, here are the apple varieties he used:
- Macintosh
- Granny Smith
- Honeycrisp
What types of baking apples should you use?
Here are some of the most readily available varieties of apples that are perfect for baking. Each has its own unique flavor and texture.
Granny Smith apples
Granny Smith apples are known for their distinct tartness and firm texture. These familiar green apples hold their shape exceptionally well when baked, making them perfect for pies and tarts. Also, they are delicious in these buttery scones.
“When it comes to pie, I like to use tart Granny Smith apples because they hold their shape even after a long baking time,” says Rebecca Blackwell, Of Batter and Dough. “This is a plus when cutting and serving slices of pie. I also prefer the contrast in flavor between the tart apples and whatever sweet ingredients are in the filling.”
Honeycrisp
The first place I discovered honeycrisp apples was at an orchard in Pennsylvania, yes, Pennsylvania. These were the biggest and most delicious apples I’d ever had, and they continue to be my favorite apples for eating today. The University of Minnesota actually created the honeycrisp apple variety.
These apples are known for their delicious juiciness, crispness, and sweet and tart flavors. Given their natural sweetness, they are ideal for pies, tarts, cakes and muffins. Honeycrisp apples retain their shape well when baked. At the same time, their texture becomes softer because of their juiciness, making them perfect for dishes like baked apples, plus crisps and cobblers, when you want an apple with a softer texture.
“Honeycrisp is always the favorite apple to use in recipes,” says Gena Lazcano of Ginger Casa, “but sometimes I like to use a different combo of apples in recipes to balance the flavor.” She’ll often combine this variety along with gala, Fuji and Granny Smith apples.
Gala apples
Gala apples are crisp and known for their sweet and fragrant taste. Galas are best suited for recipes that require a sweeter apple flavor and moisture, such as bread, muffins, cakes, turnovers and crumbles.
Their natural sweetness adds a rich apple flavor to your baked goods, and they bake up softer, which makes them a popular choice among bakers. Finally, if you love honeycrisp as much as I do — and can’t find any in the grocery store, for baking or eating — gala apples can be a great substitute.
Fuji
Fuji apples are sweet and aromatic, with a dense and crisp texture. The natural sweetness of Fuji apples makes them perfect for pies, where their flavor shines through. Their firm texture holds up well during baking, ensuring your pie filling doesn’t turn mushy but bakes up soft enough to cut into.
Fuji apples also work well when you need a grated apple like in apple cupcakes. However, you can try them in crumbles and crisps, too.
Finally, given their name you may be wondering: are Fuji apples from Japan? And the answer is, yes. They are named for Mount Fuji, are a cross between two American varieties and first came to market in the 1960s.
What are the secrets to baking with apples?
When baking with apples, there are a few tips and tricks you can follow to ensure the best results:
- Choose the right apple variety for your recipe. Consider the apple’s flavor profile, texture and acidity to find the perfect match. Do you want the apples to stay somewhat firm or become softer when baked?
- It’s not always necessary to peel and core the apples before using them in your recipes, but it does ensure a smoother texture in your baked goods.
- To ensure even baking, cut the apples into uniform slices or cubes.
- To keep your apples from browning when cut, sprinkle them with lemon juice.
- Depending on how sweet or tart your apples are, you can play around with the amount of sugar and spices in your recipe. Feel free to adjust these elements according to your taste preferences.
- A great tip when choosing apples is to mix different apple types to add a more complex apple flavor.
How to pick the best apple?
Choose apples that are currently in their peak season. Apples that are out of season often are stored, which can impact their level of sweetness and juiciness. However, if like my husband, you want to bake something during the off-season, then make sure that you select the best apples possible, given the time of year and availability.
If you want to preserve apples for an extended period, consider canning or freezing them. Canned apples can be used in pies and sauces, while frozen apples can be used in baked goods.
Apples may not be considered an exotic fruit, but they have managed to sweet-talk their way into being one of the most universally beloved fruits. When picking the best apples for baking, you want these apples to be the real stars of the show. So, take a moment to choose the perfect apple variety that’ll give your treats that delicious texture and mouthwatering taste.
Portions of this article originally appeared on Food Drink Life.