#apples

#apples

It's that time of the year again, when fall harvests completely take over your kitchen counter. Apples, in particular, are probably already piled up in a basket, waiting to be baked into pies and swirled with caramel. But as the season slips by, don't let pies be the only place you use this delightful fruit. Apples are just as wonderful in a panful of breakfast potatoes as in hearty desserts.

A simple sour cream pastry is a go-to base for the tart. It yields a crumbly cookie-like crust, which is irregular and forgiving - helpful for the novice baker. As the tart bakes in the oven, the caramel from the fruit filling will bubble up in spots through the crust. The crust will continue to bake, and when it's finished and cooling, the wayward caramel will harden and coat the crust with a shiny shellac of sweetness.

It's easy to forget just how extraordinary apples can be. Often relegated to less exciting regions of the fruit bowl, they actually come in a dizzying array of varieties sharp, sweet, floral, crisp and each with their own quirks. And now is the time to celebrate apples, so this week I'm giving them the attention they deserve in a no-bake toffee apple pie (banoffee's autumn cousin) and a soft, cinnamon-spiced crumb cake.

Months of hot weather have produced a record-breaking year for apples in the UK, with the harvest coming in bigger and earlier than ever. That means it's also going to be a record-breaking year for cider. According to the National Association of Cider Makers, the warm summer has also delivered apples full of rich flavours and natural sweetness, perfect for cider making. In orchards across the UK, boughs are breaking under the weight of the ripening fruit.

Pumpkin spice is going to have to wait a minute; it's time for apples to shine. Whether yours are hand-picked from a local orchard, scooped up at a farmers market or plucked from your backyard, we want to make the most of the season while the fruit is at its crispy, flavorful best. We turned to three new cookbooks to find new recipes for the occasion, starting with "The Art of Jacques Pépin."

Apples and pears thrive in colder climates that allow for a dormancy period during the cold months, followed by bud break as temperatures rise.

There are over 7,000 named types of apples, offering a variety of flavors and textures that are perfect for snacking, baking, or cooking in recipes.