When the cooler weather hits we look forward to all the apples, and there are so many varieties in season right now. From Bravo and Kanzi to Golden Delicious, Mi, Fuji, and Braeburn, you’ll find the juiciest, sweet-tasting apples on the shelves of our fruiterers. And it it’s organic food, or organic apples that you’re after, make sure you stop into Paddlewheel or Ripe the Organic Grocer for their certified organic apple selection.
Apple varieties
Different types of apples have distinct tastes, textures and colouring and suit different uses, like baking in pies and tarts or cooking and producing cider.
While there are many apple varieties, here’s a list of the most common in Australia that are ideal during the autumn and winter months.
- Mi – developed in Western Australia, these apples are a cross between a Golden Delicious and a Lady William. They have red skin, dense flesh and are bursting with flavour, ripening early in the season.
- Kanzi – these apples have a well-balanced, sweet flavour due to them being a mix of juicy Gala and tangy, sweet Braeburn apples. Grown in Australia, they’re available from around April until October. They’re very versatile so you can eat them fresh, bake them or add them to salads and coleslaw.
- Bravo –a blend of Royal Gala and Cripps Red, Bravo apples were also bred in WA, launching back in 2016. They have burgundy, plum-like, colour skin and creamy yellow flesh. They are juicy and crisp, making them a great choice for eating fresh or tossing into salads.
- Royal Gala – these are usually one of the first apples of the season. They are medium in size and have a sweet flavour, making them great for salads, pies and sauces.
- Jonathan – a lesser-known apple variety, Jonathan apples have a sweet flavour with a touch of acidity. They are great eaten fresh but can also be used in cooking.
- Golden Delicious – one of the most popular apples, Golden Delicious, have yellow-green skin and are very sweet. They are great for salads and making apple sauce.
- Red Delicious – these are medium to large in size and, as it says in the name, have red skin. They are crisp and juicy, and perfect for eating fresh or sliced into a salad.
- Granny Smith – popular for cooking, Granny Smith apples have green skin and are crisp and juicy. Their flavour is tart and acidic, so some may not enjoy eating them fresh. Granny Smith apples remain firm when baked, making them a perfect addition to home-made pies.
- Fuji – named after the Japanese town of Fujisaki, where they were developed, Fuji apples are usually late-ripening apples. They are very popular due to their dense, sweet flesh.
- Braeburn – these apples originated in New Zealand in the 1950s and have red and orange streaky skin. They are an ideal inclusion if you’re baking a tart, as Braeburn’s hold their shape and don’t release much liquid when cooking.
- Pink Lady – actually the same variety as Cripps Pink but with a trademark, Pink Lady apples are grown over a long period with plenty of sunlight. They tend to have a tart flavour and are good eaten fresh or baking.
Tips for making the most of your apples by Simon Toohey (@simon.toohey)
We asked Sustainable Simon for some tips on keeping your apples fresher for longer.
Storage
“If you get a box of apples from the market that are starting to look a little less than perfect, put them in the fridge or in a cool dark place. This will slow down the ripening process and help keep them nice and crisp.”
Don’t hesitate to ask your favourite fruiterer if they have some apples close to the end of their shelf life, as you might be able to pick them up for less than the ‘perfect’ apples.
Dehydrated apples
Dehydrating your apples can be a great way to get more life out of them.
“Kids can enjoy them for lunches, you can put them on cereal, cakes or pretty much anything,” says Simon.
“It’s as simple as cutting the apples into rounds, lying them on an aerated surface in the sun and letting them slowly dry out. Or, of course, if you have a dehydrator it’s perfect.”
Creating a sweet apple topping
If you enjoy a sweet topping on yoghurt or ice cream, Sustainable Simon recommends covering your apples in sugar syrup and tea, then slowly cooking them in the oven.
“You can use any style of black tea you like for this and you just cook until the apples are broken down.”
Making dessert
Simon loves to make apple crumble. “Toss chopped up apples in the juice of 1 lemon, 2 tablespoons of caster sugar and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon. Place the mixture in a baking tray topped with a crumble mixture of oats, brown sugar, more spices of your choosing, flour and butter. Bake for 30 minutes. It’s affordable and such a wow factor when it comes to a ‘relatively healthy’ dessert.”
What about the apple core?
“Make sure you compost your apple core for future food!” says Simon.
Apple recipes from Prahran Market
If you want to get in the kitchen and bake with apples, here are some recipes from the Prahran Market website:
