The leaves are turning from luscious green to all those golden, red, and shades of brown. There’s a chill in the air that wasn’t there last week, and it tells us it’s Autumn, and that means it’s apple pie season and time for autumnal perfection! No matter whether you’re looking forward to Rosh Hashanah and the Jewish New Year, candy apples at Halloween, or apple pie at Thanksgiving, it’s the time of year that’s perfect for making the most of delicious apples!

If you live anywhere like where we live, you’ll have no doubt noticed the beginnings of seasonal change; shorter days, cooler nights, and the plants in the garden starting to die off. While we’re still a long way off from the dark days of winter, it’s pretty clear that the flourish of summer is definitely behind us now.

A lot of people become sad at this changing of seasons. But not here at Larder Pantry and Garden, it’s bringing alive a world of new opportunities and culinary expressions. Now is the time for preserving (see last week’s post), and getting those important jobs in the garden done, and of course, tucking into wholesome cooking!

Apple pie is one of those autumn treats that truly is perfection: hot, sweet, and comforting. It really doesn’t get any better!

Apple Pie Equipment

You also don’t need a lot of fancy bells and whistles to make apple pie. Just a few simple tools like:

• Mixing bowls
• Chopping board
• Peeler
• Knife
• Skillet or heavy-based frying pan
• Wooden spoons/stirrers
• Rolling pin
• Pie plate or small plates
• Food processor – if you want a quicker way of making the dough
• Pastry brush

Of course, apple pie isn’t the only dessert you can make with apples. In the coming weeks we’ll look at how to make apple cake, apple fritters, and apple sauce – after all, the holidays are coming! Apples are one of those fantastically versatile fruits. So, why not embrace the season, and remember: an apple a day keeps the doctor away!

An Apple a Day, but which is best?

Before we get onto the recipe, how about we talk about the all important question: which apple is best for apple pie?

Traditionally, you want an apple that’s going to hold its shape once cooked, and the most commonly used apple would be the household favourite; Granny Smith. This firm, green, and long lasting apple is the all-rounder for most apple dishes.

Whether it’s making apple sauce, apple pie, or applying a sugar coating for candy apples, the bittersweet flesh of the Granny is perfect. Of course, depending on where you live in the world, there will be other favourite cooking apples; Bramley’s for sauces and preserving (they help set jams), Jonagolds, Braeburns, and Honeycrisp are all great for baking, and McIntosh and Golden Delicious for sauces.

Does that mean other apples won’t work? Not at all, these apple varieties are simply the preferred ones, but you can use any apple (save the Crab apple, which is incredibly tart) for cooking with, but you will get different results. What do we mean by that?

Well, most apples fall into two classifications; eating, or cooking. This basically means some are best eaten now, and others you can enjoy for months to come. You’ll still be able to cook with either, but the ‘eating’ varieties are best enjoyed in their prime, rather than storing them over winter as they’ll become floury and bland.

So, how about that recipe…

How to Make Apple Pie

Below is our favourite recipe for making apple pie. It’s the best recipe we’ve discovered, and we’re more than happy to share it with you here on Larder Pantry and Garden.

Thanks for checking out this week’s post on how to make apple pie, and I hope you’re able to get out and enjoy the perfection of autumn while it lasts. If you do, please check back and post a comment. Or you can share a photo on your social media accounts with the hashtag: #LarderPantryandGarden. 

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