Bloomin' Baked Apples Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why do my baked apples burst? ›

Choose the Right Apples

Some varieties turn to mush so fast they explode out of their skins, while some stay weirdly firm. Either way they're edible, but not ideal—a baked apple should stay intact but be soft enough to eat with a spoon.

According to New England Today, the best apples for baking are firm-tart apples, and firm-sweet apples. Firm-tart apples are apples like Granny Smith, Esopus Spitzenburg, Northern Spy, Ida Red, and Pink Pearl. Firm-sweet apples are Ginger Gold, Golden Delicious, Jazz, Jonagold, and Pink Lady.

Overall, crunchy (or crisp) apples are best for baking because they will soften but not turn to mush when heated. There are a few common exceptions, namely Red Delicious and Gala, whose flesh aren't dense enough to do well when baked, orchard owner Mark Toigo said.

I prefer slicing the apples the day I plan to bake the crisp as they start to oxidize once they're sliced and turn brown in color. Add a little extra fresh lemon juice to help prevent the apples from turning super brown. Prepare the entire apple crisp, cover well, and refrigerate the night before baking.

For the best pies, crisps, and other baked treats, apples need to be firm enough to hold their own during the cooking process. We call these apples “baking apples” and to namedrop, they include Braeburn, Cortland, Honey Gold, Jonathan, Fuji, Gala, Granny Smith, Haralson, and Newtown Pippin.

Honeycrisp. One of the sweetest apples around, this Midwestern favorite is good for anything—including baking. It boasts a distinctive juicy crispness and is firm enough that it won't cook down much. It complements just about any other apple variety to make a stellar pie.

Crunchy and sweet-tart, Jonagolds are a cross between Jonathan and Golden Delicious apples. They're one of pastry chef Paola Velez's favorite apples to use in pie along with Granny Smith and Honeycrisp.

About 3/4 of an average sliced or cubed apple equates to a single cup. However, it really depends on the size of your apple and how you'll be cutting it. In a perfect world, you'll start with a medium apple. It's about the same size as a tennis ball (or about 2 ½ – 2 ¾ inches in diameter).

Here's the short version: The best way to prevent browning is to soak the cut fruit in a saltwater solution (half a teaspoon of kosher salt per cup of water) for 10 minutes, then drain and store until ready to use.

Some apples are juicier than others. If you would like your filling thicker, combine 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon water. Add a little at a time while the mixture is boiling until you reach desired consistency.

Should I boil apples before baking? ›

Some experts will tell you to par-cook apples before filling a pie by pouring boiling water over cut apples and soaking them for 10 minutes. Others say to roast them to reduce water content. Still, others say to let cut apples sit for 30-40 minutes to drain natural juices.

There are a few apples that don't make the cut. While great for snacking, Gala, Fuji and Red Delicious are the most common apples that won't hold up in the oven and will give you a watery-mushy pie, tart or cake.

Their firm flesh holds up well when cooked, making them ideal for baking and cooking applications. Paula Red apples also make delicious applesauce, apple butter, and cider, adding a burst of flavor to these homemade creations.

While there is an extremely wide variety of apples, all with varying flavors, the sweetest-tasting apple is fuji, followed by gala, honeycrisp, and Red Delicious apples. These apples are great for snacking and eating as is. Granny Smith, McIntosh, and Pink Lady fall on the tart end of the spectrum.

Fruit cracking is often a physiological response to environmental conditions, such as irregular water supply. It's common in the second part of the growing season that starts in July while the fruit is still relatively small and can go up to harvest.

Perfect Pie Tip #6: Choose Tart Apples

Pectin is the biological glue that holds together plant cells, giving fruits and vegetables their shape and structure. When apples are cooked, this pectin breaks down, and the apples turn mushy.

The apples are sauteed with sugar and spices before baking in a crust, which surprisingly prevents them from turning mushy when baked.

When apple cells age, their cytoplasm and vacuoles lose moisture over time and can no longer reinforce the rigid cell wall. As a result, the cells become deflated and flimsy. The middle lamella that once held cells together also weakens over time.