Apple Delights: Readers’ Choice

Who can resist those juicy, bright apples — especially when they’re baked up into something sweet?

To celebrate apple season, we dove into the 50PLUS.com archives to see our readers’ favourite recipes. Whether you pick them yourself or pick them up at your local market, here are five ways to enjoy a little apple.

Dutch Apple Cake

1 3/4 cups flour
3 tsp Baking Powder
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp. Vanilla
3/4 cup Milk

Topping:

2 medium Apples
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon

Stir flour, baking powder and salt together.

Cream shortening, gradually add sugar creaming well between additions. Add egg and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy.

Stir in dry ingredients alternately with milk. Pour into well greased 7″ X 11″ shallow pan.

Peel and core apples, cut in 8ths and place in rows with sharp edges pressed slightly. Sprinkle sugar and cinnamon on top.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 50-60 min.

NOTE: Peaches or apricots (dried or canned) may be substituted for apples but omit cinnamon topping.

Submitted by: Akela.

Apple-Ginger Quick Bread

Yield: 1 loaf or 6 mini bundt cakes

A pleasant change of pace, especially attractive if baked in mini bundt pans. This bread freezes well, too.

2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour or all-purpose white flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 medium-size tart apples, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup raisins and/or 1/2 cup unsalted mixed nuts (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8-inch by 4-inch loaf pan or 6 mini bundt pans.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, ginger, and salt; set aside. Combine the remaining ingredients and blend thoroughly.

Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and combine just until blended thoroughly (do not
beat). Pour into the prepared pan(s).

Bake the loaf pan for 80 minutes, the mini bundt pans for 60 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the loaves comes out clean.

Cool on a rack for 10 minutes before removing from the pans.

Submitted by: O’Doud

Slow Cooker Apple Pie Bread Pudding

12 slices reduced-calorie white bread, torn into medium-size pieces
3 1/2 cups cooking apples, cored, peeled and chopped
1 cup unsweetened apple juice
1/2 cup diet lemon-lime soda
1/2 cup sugar or sugar substitute suitable for baking to equal amount
1 1/2 teaspoons apple pie spice

Spray slow cooker with butter-flavored nonstick cooking spray. Combine bread pieces and apples in slow cooker.

In small bowl, combine apple juice, soda, sugar substitute and apple pie spice. Drizzle evenly over bread
mixture. Mix gently to combine.

Cover and cook for 6 hours on low, or until done. Mix well before serving.

Makes 6 servings.

Submitted by: JSC788

Next: Fresh Apple Cookies and Fruit Crisp for One

[NEXTPAGE]

Fresh Apple Cookies

1/2 cup butter
1 1/3 cups firmly packed brown sugar
1 egg
2 1/2 cups sifted all purpose flour
1/tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking Soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 cup of either apple, orange, or pineapple juice or milk
1 chopped unpeeled raw apple. (Note: Raisins may be added if you wish.)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Cream the butter and sugar, and beat in egg. Sift the dry ingredients together and add to the creamed mixture along with juice or milk.

Stir in the apple and any other optional ingredients. Put small portions on a greased cookie sheet leaving about 1 1/2 inches between each cookie.

Bake for up to 12 minutes or until medium light brown in colour. Yields 4 dozen.

Submitted by: akela

Microwave Fruit Crisp for One

In a microwaveable small casserole (for 1), sprinkle 1 tsp sugar (or Splenda) and a bit of ground cinnamon and mix well.

Peel and cut one large apple (or 2 medium ones) (Macintosh
are very nice) and coat the slices with the sugar mix.

In a bowl, add 2 Tbsp quick oats, 2 tbsp brown sugar (or less if you do not want too sweet), 1 Tbsp flour, and more ground cinnamon to taste (about 1/2 tsp.). Mix well and add 1 Tbsp butter
or margarine to make this crumbly.

Place this topping on the pieces of apple and microwave about 3 minutes at 100%. Serve with ice cream. Mmmm!

You can try this with peaches, or apples with rhubarb or strawberries and rhubarb, but, for me, apples are still the best…

Submitted by: meremichaud

More fruit-filled dessert ideas:
Applesauce bars
Carol’s Creamy Ontario Pear Pie
Glazed Ontario Apple-Ricotta Tarts
Debbie’s Nectarine and Plum Crisp
Cherry Vanilla Slab Pie

Plus see what else is cooking in our in recipes archive.