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Apple

Fruits · Orchard fruit

Apple

Crisp, juicy tree fruit in red, green or yellow skins; eaten raw and baked into pies, cakes, sauces and chutneys.

Also called: apples, seb, elma, manzana, pomme

30 recipes with it

Photo: Abhijit Tembhekar from Mumbai, India, via Wikimedia Commons (CC-BY-2.0)

What it is

Apples are round fruits with thin skin, crisp white flesh and a core of small brown seeds. Varieties range from sharp, firm cooking apples (Bramley, Granny Smith) that break down or hold shape when baked, to sweet eating apples (Gala, Fuji, Honeycrisp). Choose the type a recipe asks for, as texture after cooking varies a lot.

Malus domestica

How it’s used

  • Eaten raw or sliced into salads and slaws
  • Baked in pies, crumbles, strudel and tarte tatin
  • Cooked down into apple sauce and butter
  • Simmered into chutneys or with pork and red cabbage

Characteristics

Taste
Sweet to tart depending on variety.
Texture
Crisp and juicy raw; soft or fluffy when cooked.
When cooked
Cut flesh browns quickly; toss with lemon juice. Some varieties collapse when cooked, others keep their shape.
Sold as
fresh, dried, liquid
Cooking uses
Usually eaten raw, Suitable for baking, Commonly cooked

Storage

Refrigerated. Keep in the fridge crisper for weeks; at room temperature they soften faster. Store away from leafy greens, as apples give off ethylene that speeds ripening.

Diet, allergens and safety

No major allergens in typical versions.

  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Dairy-free
  • Egg-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Nut-free
  • Soy-free
  • Caffeine-free
  • Apple seeds contain small amounts of cyanogenic compounds; do not grind large quantities of seeds into food.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy
52 kcal
Protein
0.26 g
Carbohydrate
13.81 g
Fat
0.17 g
Fibre
2.4 g
Sugars
10.39 g

USDA FoodData Central: Apples, raw, with skin (Includes foods for USDA's Food Distribution Program).

Substitutes

Optional — what works if you don’t have it, and how it changes the dish.

  • Pear — In cakes and crumbles; softer, sweeter and juicier, so bake slightly less.

Related ingredients

Recipes with apple

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