With scarlet, orange and yellow hues on foliage and an abundance of apples in the markets, autumn is a favorite time of year. After a long, hot summer, everyone welcomes warm, freshly-baked pies, breads, cakes and other apple treats. For some in our area, fall is also the time to visit the mountains for picturesque scenery and numerous orchards for picking their own apples.
Apples can be used in a variety of dishes, including main dishes, salads, spreads, breads, desserts, fritters and many others. They can be combined with other fruits and are good baked with sweet potatoes. Apples go well with cheese and can be used to dip into spreads.
For baking, select tart Granny Smith apples as they hold up better in cooking. Red and Golden Delicious, Gala and Fuji are just a few good ones for salads and eating. Honey Crisp are also popular.
When buying apples, look for ones that are firm, crisp and well-colored. They should have a fresh, not musty, smell. Select apples that are clean without cuts, bruises, blemishes or soft spots. Depending on size, a pound of apples will yield about three cups sliced. Apples generally stay fresh for one to two weeks.
During autumn, a visit to the mountains is a refreshing way to view picture-perfect vistas and soak in God’s handiwork. If you are planning a trip to the mountains this fall, here are a few places to check out for picking apples.
Blue Ridge, Georgia
Surrounded by mountains in the distant, Blue Ridge, Georgia, above Atlanta, is home to Mercier Orchards, Georgia’s largest U-pick farm with 200 acres. During weekends, visitors can ride a wagon pulled by a tractor up the hill to pick apples. The orchard produces 26 varieties of apples in jewel tones from deepest ruby to bright greens.
The Mercier family purchased the orchard in 1943 from a pharmacist, who planted the original orchard at the turn of the century. Over the years, the 27 acres grew into a 200-acre fruit farm, retail market and bakery. Mercier is still family run with four generations working in the business.
Breakfast and lunch are available at the café in the market. Apples, apple cider, assorted jellies and jams, baked goods and many other items can be found at the market. The aroma of baking apple pies drifts through the market from the bakery. Get a pie to take home or try a freshly made fried pie with homemade ice cream.
The town of Blue Ridge is quaint, and you can take a train ride through the mountains to view the colorful foliage. During the autumn months, the mountains become ablaze with a spectrum of vibrant colors. Boarding for the railway is at a historic, 100 year-old depot in downtown Blue Ridge. During the fall months, the train runs most days and twice a day on weekends.
Ellijay, Georgia
Known for its apple orchards and festivals, Ellijay is nicknamed “the apple capital of Georgia.” The town has numerous apple orchards and markets, including R & A Orchards, Hillcrest Orchards and Aaron Family Orchards.
Hendersonville County, North Carolina
Situated in the foothills between the Blue Ridge Mountains and Great Smoky Mountains, Hendersonville, North Carolina, features a trail of apple orchards. The Cherokee Indians called the scenic beauty “land of the blue mist” in the heart of the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area.
With an abundance of apple orchards, Hendersonville County is the top apple-producing county in North Carolina and the seventh largest in the nation. The orchard trail features 20 apple orchards.
Apples and cider are also available at roadside markets. Being a leader in apple production, Hendersonville is home to three cideries.
Alto and Dillard, Georgia
On the way to Highlands, North Carolina, Jaemor Market in Alto, Georgia, is filled with a wide variety of apples and freshly made apple cider along with other fresh produce and baked goods.
In the fall, the aroma of fried apple pies drifts through the shop, and kettle corn is generally being popped in front of the market, providing additional sweet smells.
In nearby Dillard, Osage Farmers Market features an assortment of apples and other produce.
Sevierville, Tennessee
The Apple Barn and Cider Mill in Sevierville, Tennessee, is located in a huge complex with a cider barn, winery, creamery where homemade ice cream is made, bakery, candy shop, two restaurants and a general store with plenty of apples.
The Apple Barn is owned by a family whose father originally used the land for a tobacco and cattle farm. When the tobacco wasn’t doing so well, apple trees were planted to turn the land into an apple farm, which now has over 4,000 trees with 14 varieties of apples.
The 1920s house where the family lived is now the Applewood Farmhouse restaurant that serves southern classics, with fried chicken, chicken and dumpling and chicken pie being their signature dishes.
Local
While there are many orchards in the southeast for picking your own, local markets also offer a wide assortment of apples. Treat your family to an apple dessert, bread, salad or other dish this coming week.
Harvest Apple Crisp
This is an easy apple dessert that is also scrumptious with vanilla ice cream or salted caramel gelato. I have been making this recipe for many years, and it is still a favorite at our home for fall and during the winter months.
4 cups sliced Granny Smith or other tart apples
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup quick-cooking or old-fashioned oats
1/3 cup butter, room temperature
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
Vanilla ice cream, salted caramel gelato or whipped cream, optional
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease bottom and sides of an 8-inch round or square pan.
Peel and slice apples; place in baking pan. Combine remaining ingredients except ice cream. Mix well and sprinkle over apples.
Bake about 30 minutes or until topping is golden brown and apples are tender. Makes six servings. Easy to double.
Sour Cream Apple Squares
Deborah Broughton
Crust:
2 cups all-purpose flour (spoon into cup and level)
2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 cup chopped nuts
Filling:
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
1 cup sour cream
1-2 tsp. cinnamon
2 cups peeled, finely chopped tart apples
In a large bowl, combine flour, brown sugar and butter. Blend at low speed until mixture is crumbly. Stir in nuts. Press 2¾ cups of mixture into an ungreased 13×9-inch baking pan.
To the remaining mixture, add cinnamon, soda, salt, sour cream, vanilla and egg. Blend well. Stir in apples and spoon the mixture over base in baking pan.
Bake 25 TO 35 minutes in preheated 350 degree oven or until inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool and cut into squares.
Steve’s Apple Tart
Lucy Whatley
Pastry:
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. sugar
1½ sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
½ cup ice water
Filling:
4 Granny Smith apples, peeled, thinly sliced
½ cup sugar
½ stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces
½ cup apricot jelly
1/8 tsp. vanilla
3 Tbsp. Grand Marnier
For pastry, combine flour, salt and sugar in food processor with steel blade or mixer. Mix or pulse until just combined. Add butter pieces and pulse or mix until butter is in small pieces. Add ice water with mixer or processor running until mixture comes together into dough. Form into ball, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour or more. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Remove dough from refrigerator and roll slightly larger than your tart or pie pan. I line tart pan with parchment paper, cut to fit bottom of pan. Lay dough in pan and press or trim edges of dough to fit edge of pan and make pretty.
For filling, peel and core apples. Thinly slice, and place on pastry dough in tart pan overlapping edges of apples. Sprinkle with ½ cup sugar and dot generously with pieces of butter. Bake for about an hour, or until crust is brown and apples are tender.
Cool on rack. Melt apricot jelly with Grand Marnier. Gently spread all of mixture on top of tart.
Fall Glazed Apple Bundt Cake
Linda Caudle
Mix together:
1 ½ cups oil
3 eggs
2 cups sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
Sift together:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
Mix oil mixture and dry ingredients together.
Fold in:
1 ½ cups chopped pecans
3 cups chopped Granny Smith apples
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Coat a bundt pan with nonstick spray. Pour batter into pan. Bake for 1 hour or until cake tests cooked when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. When cake is almost done, prepare sauce.
Sauce:
1 cup brown sugar
¼ cup milk
1 stick unsalted butter
Combine ingredients in a saucepan. Cook for 3 minutes while stirring well.
When cake is baked, remove from oven and pour boiling sauce over cake. Let cake sit two hours before removing from pan.
Note: Kimberly DeLamar Orsini, who is originally from Opelika, shared the recipe with Linda many years ago.
Apple Custard Pie
Kathleen Ingram
6 cups tart apples, pared, cored and cut in eighths
9-inch unbaked pastry shell
¾ cup sugar
3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
½ tsp. salt
¼ cup light cream
Ground cinnamon
Arrange apple slices in a 9-inch unbaked pastry shell. Combine sugar, flour and salt. Stir in light cream. Pour mixture over apples. Sprinkle with ground cinnamon. Cover loosely with foil.
Bake at 375 degrees for 1 hour. Remove foil. Bake 15 minutes or until apples are done. Serve warm with cheddar cheese or ice cream, if desired.
Apple Walnut Bread
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup canola oil
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups peeled chopped apples
1 cup chopped walnuts
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat two 8×4-inch loaf pans with nonstick spray.
Combine flour, sugar cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and salt; blend together. Then whisk together eggs, oil and vanilla in a bowl; add to flour mixture, stirring just until moistened. Fold in apples and walnuts.
Pour into loaf pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in each center comes out clean, 50 to 55 minutes. Cool in pans 10 minutes, then move to wire racks to finish cooling.
Roasted Apples and Sweet Potatoes
Beverly Corley
5 lbs. sweet potatoes (about 8 medium size), peeled
4 large Granny Smith apples
4 tsp. butter melted
4 tsp. brown sugar
2 tsp. grated orange rind
1½ tsp. kosher salt
½ tsp. coarsely ground pepper
Cut peeled sweet potatoes into 1-inch cubes. Cut peeled apples into ½ inch thick slices.
Stir together melted butter, brown sugar and grated orange rind in a large zip-top plastic freezer bag until blended. Add cubed sweet potatoes and sliced apples. Seal bag, and toss to coat.
Place potato mixture in single layer in lightly greased aluminum foil lined 15×10-inch pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Bake at 400 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes or until potatoes and apples are tender and lightly browned. Makes eight servings.
Waldorf Salad with Apples, Carrots and Pineapple
Patsy Parker
5 green apples, chopped
10 carrots, peeled and grated
Two 8 oz. can pineapple tidbits in heavy syrup, undrained
1 cup raisins
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped walnuts
¼ cup mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
Toss all ingredients together; cover and chill in refrigerator.
Caramel Apple Cheesecake
Martha Hicks
Crust:
3 cups graham cracker crumbs
¼ cup sugar
9 Tbsp. melted butter
Combine graham cracker crumbs and sugar. Mix in melted butter. Press onto bottom and half way up sides of a 10-inch spring form pan.
Filling:
2 lbs. cream cheese, room temperature
1 ½ cups sugar
16 oz. sour cream
½ cup orange juice
½ tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. vanilla
4 large eggs
Combine all ingredients except eggs in mixer bowl; mix well. Add eggs one at a time. Bake at 375 degrees for one hour plus or until cheesecake begins to brown.
Topping:
1 stick butter
1 ½ tsp. cinnamon
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup whipping cream
1 ½ lbs. Fuji or golden delicious apples, peeled, cut, cored and sliced into ¼ inch thick wedges
In saucepan, cook ½ cup sugar over moderately low heat until melted. Cook sugar, swirling pan until caramel colored. Add remaining ½ cup sugar and cream. Simmer, stirring occasionally until caramel dissolves. Simmer without stirring until it registers 225 degrees on candy thermometer.
Stir in butter and vanilla. Cool to room temperature.
Meanwhile slightly cook apple slices until barely tender in a very small amount of water. Drain apple slices. Place on cheesecake in concentric circles. Pour caramel sauce over apples. Chill overnight.
Fresh Apple Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
2 cups sugar
1 ½ cups vegetable oil
2 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
3 cups grated tart apples
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
Combine the sugar, oil and eggs in a large bowl; mix well. Sift the flour, soda and salt; stir into the sugar mixture.
Add apples and walnuts; blend well.
Pour batter into three greased and floured 9-inch cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until cakes test done. Cool.
Frost layers and cover cake with Cream Cheese Frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting:
8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, room temperature
1 stick butter, room temperature
1 lb. confectioner’s sugar
3 to 4 Tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, optional
Cream together cream cheese and butter. Add confectioner’s sugar alternately with milk. Stir in vanilla and nuts.
Easy Caramel Apple Pie with Streusel Topping
1 deep dish frozen piecrust
Filling:
1/3 cup sugar
3 Tbsp. self-rising flour
¼ tsp. nutmeg
½ tsp. cinnamon
3 to 4 sliced Granny Smith apples
Streusel Topping:
½ cup flour
¼ cup sugar
½ stick butter
¼ cup chopped pecans
Drizzle
12 to 15 caramels, unwrapped
Small amount milk
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Stir together sugar, flour, nutmeg and cinnamon; mix with cut up apples. Pour into pie crust. Mix together topping ingredients until crumbly; sprinkle on top of filling.
Cover pie with foil and bake for 30 minutes at 400 degrees. Remove foil and bake 15 minutes.
Melt caramels with a small amount of milk until easy to spread. Pour on top of pie. Can use bottled caramel sauce instead.
Glorious Morning Muffins with Apples
Martha Tabor
In large mixing bowl, combine:
1 cup white flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup sugar
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. salt
¾ cup oatmeal
In another bowl combine:
1 ½ cup grated carrots
1 ½ cup grated apples
1 cup oil
3 beaten eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
½ cup pecans
Add the second bowl into the dry ingredients and stir until moistened.
Bake at 375 degrees in greased muffin pans for 18 to 20 minutes.
