Kaboom! It’s A Red-Fleshed Apple Explosion 💥
Unique & Packed Full Of Antioxidants!
While you are unlikely to come across a red-fleshed apple in the grocery store, this pretty red- or pink- colored interior is in fact fairly common among crab apples. Late last month marked harvest time for the ripe red-fleshed apples here in the HOEC Community Orchard, and we don’t think they could look any more striking!
This red-fleshed Firecracker Crab apple is quite an amazing sight when in full bloom, and its explosion of large very pink flowers is hard to miss even though it is hidden in the far back corner of the Community Orchard. (The white powder you see in the second photo is a kaolin clay spray approved for use in organic growing.)
As harvest time approaches, Firecracker’s heavily laden branches and small. uniquely oblong-shaped fruits continue to make quite a visual statement, and for such a small tree, it sure does know how to fill a wheelbarrow!
The bitter quality of many naturally red-fleshed apples may not appeal to your palate for fresh eating, but they can make a lovely addition to your landscape as well as your kitchen if you’re willing to get a little creative. Many crafty cooks will process them into vibrantly-colored jellies, juices, deserts, beverages, pectin, and even pizza!? Don’t miss the recipe at the end of this post! They are also popular with hard cider makers for both their color and their flavor profiles.
In recent years breeders have been working to create more marketable red-fleshed crosses through selective breeding with sweeter white fleshed varieties. These projects are exciting, but it will likely be some time before you find them commercially available, so if you hope to jump onto the red-fleshed apple train sooner than later you may want to consider growing your own.
THE HEALTHIEST APPLE OF THEM ALL!
Apart from the novelty of growing an apple with surprisingly pink or red flesh, these red fleshed beauties are reported to be excellent for your health as well. This is because the vibrant color is created by an excess of antioxidants in the fruit called anthocyanins, and research suggests that anthocyanins have the ability to protect against a myriad of human diseases.
One variety grown in the HOEC Community Orchard, called Pendragon, was even declared to be - the healthiest apple of them all - by Britain's Royal Pharmaceutical Society.
If the thought of growing a somewhat bitter fruit just for the health benefits still doesn’t rank high on your list of priorities, it may help to learn that many red-fleshed varieties make excellent and reliable pollinators for other apple trees! Their tendency to bloom heavily over a long period and with an abundance of flowers makes them a welcome source of early food for native pollinators. Additionally, many varieties are naturally somewhat dwarfed in size.
RED-FLESHED CRABAPPLE GALETTES
~ GLUTEN-FREE, WITH CORNELIAN CHERRY SYRUP ~
The following recipes are courtesy of a very generous and creative community member and longtime CSA member, Amy Kay, who has created and shared some truly unique dishes from the uncommon fruits in her Orchard CSA shares. We hope you glean some inspiration from her creations, and happy baking!
The apples used in this recipe are “Pendragon,” but you could easily substitute with another apple. This recipe is gluten free, but you could use a different pie dough if preferred.
Image #1:
1.5 cups Bob's Red Mill 1:1 Gluten Free flour (or regular flour if you prefer)
1 tbs sugar,
1/2 tsp salt,
1/2 cup cold butter cut in small pieces,
4-5tbs cold water.
First mixed with a fork and then quickly mixed with hands to form 2 balls.
Pop the balls into the fridge until the filling is ready.
Image #2:
Pendragon crab apples. 5 medium sized apples used for the creation shown above which made two galettes.
Image #3:
5 Sliced crabapples
2tbs cornelian cherry syrup (made form fruit in the CSA box the week before!)
1tsp cinnamon
1tsp vanilla
Fold it all together gently coating all of the apples.
Image #4:
Gluten free dough isn't easy to work with!
This was quickly smashed into shape with fingers on parchment paper, and then half of the filling was placed ton top. Next, the edges were folded over by lifting the parchment paper and peeling it off. Again, not easy, and your baker greatly doubted its integrity at this point. This is not something you will likely have to worry about if you are not using gluten free dough.
Next, the parchment paper and galette were slid onto a plate and popped it in the freezer until the oven was hot.
Repeat the process with second ball of dough and remaining filling.
Image #5:
Slide the galette on the parchment paper onto a baking sheet, paint all over with some lukewarm melted butter, and sprinkle with brown sugar.
Image #6:
Baked at 375 degrees for about 45 minutes. galette
Cook’s review:
“The galettes are delicious, but take forever. The crabapples taste delicious raw with cinnamon and cornelian cherry syrup.”
#kitchenchallenge #crabapple #corneliancherry #glutenfree #glutenfreebaking #urbangarden #pnwharvest #gfgalette #galette #bobsredmill
CRABAPPLE PIZZA CHALLENGE!
Sunday was gluten-free pizza night around here, so your crafty baker decided to get creative! While this recipe is gluten, egg, and dairy free, feel free to substitute as you please.
Image #1:
Gluten free, egg free, dairy free pizza dough with fresh chopped basil and other herbs of your liking mixed in. (An example dough recipe from Minimalist Baker can be found here) spread onto parchment paper. Or use another pizza dough recipe of your choice.
Sliced crooked neck squash from the garden, & firecracker crabapple slices placed on top just before baking.
Bake at 450 degrees for 12 minutes to give the apples and squash a head start.
Image 2:
Gluten Free pizza after baking the first 12 minutes with the prebaked squash and crabapple.
Remove from the oven and paint with olive oil & add more chopped basil, green onion & Violife vegan mozzarella or any cheese of your liking. Bake for another 8 minutes or adjust to the crust recipe you are using.
Cook’s review:
“Ultimately, the crabapple was great on this pizza, and I'd add double the amount next time!”
SO MUCH TO LEARN IN THE ORCHARD - READ MORE OF OUR BLOG POSTS HERE!
