Besides being the first full month of autumn and the month of Halloween, October is National Apple Month. Originally started as National Apple Week in 1904, it has since expanded to a full month in celebration of the apple. The apple is one of the most popular fruits in the United States and is grown in over half of the fifty states. Due to its national popularity, the apple has made its way into many different recipes and is a staple fruit in many households.
Here are just a few ways to celebrate National Apple Month:
Apple Pie
What is more American than apple pie? Apples are mixed with brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg and are then poured over a chewy, buttery crust. Then another layer of the flaky crust is laid on top of the apples to create a pocket of apple delight. There are many varieties of apple pies. Some have the traditional top while others feature a crunchy apple crumb topping. However, traditional apple pie is a hard one to beat.
Apple Pie Filling Sauce
While this is a sauce that is made with apples, it is definitely not applesauce. Chop apples into chunks just like you would for apple pie and mix with brown sugar, butter, and vanilla. Let the apples cook down until they become soft and mushy. This hot apple topping is perfect for serving over ice cream, on pancakes, waffles, French toast, and spooned over yogurt. Feel free to add spices as you’d like including cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.
Caramel Apple Crunch Cheesecake
Three words: caramel, apples, and cheesecake. Could this combination be any more perfect? Our delicious cheesecake filling is mixed with sweet and gooey caramel. Then fresh baked apples are added to the mixture creating a delicious apple and caramel cheesecake. As if this cheesecake couldn’t get any better, we top the cheesecake with a toffee almond streusel. You’ll definitely want to give our caramel apple cheesecake.
Apple and Cheese Platters
Apples perfectly compliment many different varieties of cheese. Sweet apples pair well with cheddars, especially sharp cheddars as the sweetness of the apples balance it out. Gouda is another cheese that goes well with tart apple varietals. Bleu cheese and apple sounds like an odd combination, but it is actually quite tasty. Much like a pear and gorgonzola salad, apples enhance the tanginess of the bleu cheese while providing a sweet after taste.