The Apple of My Pie

Apples are here! Just in time for October. These “forbidden” fruits have been a part of the human diet for approximately 750,000 years, though they weren’t so sweet back then, and we only started cultivating them in the last 4,000 years. Being such a ubiquitous fruit, apples are ever-prevalent in historical texts, religious texts, fables, and pop culture. So how did they get so popular? By being delicious and nutritious of course!

We don’t say “An apple a day keeps the doctor away” for no reason. Apples are packed full of nutritional value! One medium-sized apple rings in at a mere 95 calories, and provides 17% of your daily fiber, 14% of your vitamin C, 5% of your vitamin B6, 2% of your magnesium, and 1% of your iron and calcium each. They’re sweet, filling, and easy to eat on the go, making them an excellent healthy snack. They also keep incredibly well. Unrefrigerated, fresh apples can be kept for up to eight days. Stored properly in the refrigerator, they can stay fresh for more than a month. Dehydrated, they’ll stay good for up to six months! Their nutrition and longevity made apples a must-pack for travelers in historical times since folks would often be on the road for weeks or months at a time with no guaranteed food sources.

Cripps, Empire, Fuji, Honeycrisp, Crabb, McIntosh, Pazazz, Envy, Pink Lady, and the list goes on and on and on and ON. More than 7,500 varieties of apples exist worldwide, making them the most diverse fruit in existence. Over generations, farmers have all bred apples to select for specific characteristics – color, size, taste, disease resistance, ability to grow in a certain climate, longevity in storage, etc. Depending on the farmer and where they live, the traits they look for in an apple are very different. This has led to the development of the thousands of apple varieties we have today. At our farmers market alone you can find more than ten of these varieties, including those pictured above. Variety is the spice of life, and apples have it on lock!

Apples can be eaten so many ways: fresh, dried, baked, blended, or dipped in peanut butter. All of them are awesome, but it’s October and that means Spooky Season, so we’re going with candied apples to match the mood. Try our recipe for poison candy apples, inspired by the story of Snow White, perfect for your next Halloween party! Don’t worry – they’re sleeping curse-free. 

Poison Candy Apples

Ingredients:

• 12 small red or green apples (any variety)
• 12 lollipop sticks
• 3 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 tsp. red food coloring
• 24 oz. green candy melts
• 3 tsp. canola oil
• Equipment Needed: candy thermometer

Instructions:

1. Wash and thoroughly dry the apples. Insert the lollipop sticks so that they are firmly positioned in the middle of the apples (stick them through where the stem goes). Set the apples aside on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper that is coated with cooking spray.
2. Combine the sugar, corn syrup, and water in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and cook until your candy thermometer reads 300ºF.
3. Remove the candy mixture from the heat and carefully stir in the red food coloring. Take care! The mixture may splash, and it is HOT. Depending on the quality and strength of your food coloring, you may want to add more than 1/2 a teaspoon.
4. One at a time, carefully dip the apples into the candy mixture. Switl the apples to coat them thoroughly, and allow any excess to drip back into the pan.
5. Transfer the coated apples to the prepared cookie sheet and allow them to cool until the candy has fully hardened.
6. Place your green candy melts in a large size microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on low power in 20-second intervals, stirring between, until melted. Stir in the canola oil until smooth. Let cool slightly, then transfer to a squeeze bottle.
7. With the squeeze bottle, outline skull-like eyes and a nose on each apple, adding a drippy-looking wavy line encircling the apple below the nose. Then, fill in the space around the eyes and nose, so it looks like a melting skull.
8. Let set for 10–15 minutes or until completely hardened. Enjoy sleeping-curse free!