A great apple dessert starts at the orchard, not the oven. The wrong apple turns to mush or bakes up bland, while the right one holds its shape, balances sweet with tart, and fills your kitchen with that unmistakable aroma.

So in detail, what makes a good baking apple? You want to look for two qualities: firm flesh that survives the heat, and a tart, complex flavor that doesn't disappear in the oven. Soft, mild apples like Red or Golden Delicious or Gala collapse into watery pulp and taste flat once baked, so save them for snacking.

You’re probably aware that the all-time top choice for pies is the proverbial Granny Smith. This classic provides tartness and dense flesh that holds up really well through a long bake, and the sugar in your recipe balances the sourness.

Another good choice, though, is Honeycrisp. It is sweet-tart and juicy, with a pleasant bite that lingers after baking. Because it releases a fair amount of liquid, you’ll want to add a little extra thickener.

Braeburn is also on the list. It’s spicy, aromatic, and firm, baking into tender slices that stay distinct rather than dissolving.

But what about crisps? They’re more forgiving than pies. The buttery oat topping steals the show, and then a filling that softens into a jammy texture is a bonus.

Jonagold offers a lovely sweet-tart balance and cooks down tender without turning to sauce. Cortland is a favorite in the Northeast for its bright flavor and slow-browning flesh. And MacIntosh breaks down more than any other apple here, creating a saucy, almost applesauce-like base. Pair it with a firmer variety so you get both some chunky texture and juiciness.

The secret to a flavorful pie or crisp, however, is to mix apple varieties. Bakers rarely use just one variety. Combining two or three gives you more complex flavor and a better texture, with some slices holding firm while others melt into the filling. A dependable formula is half Granny Smith for tartness and structure, and half of the other above-mentioned apples for sweetness and aroma.

For best outcomes, you’ll want to:

·         Slice apples about a quarter-inch thick so they cook evenly.

·         Toss them with a squeeze of lemon juice to brighten the flavor and prevent browning

·         Add a tablespoon or two of flour or cornstarch to thicken the juices.

·         Pile the fruit high, since apples shrink considerably as they bake.

Finally, there's no single perfect apple, but there is a perfect approach: choose firm, tart varieties as your base, add a sweeter one for depth, and avoid anything soft and mealy. A good idea is to visit a farmers’ market in the fall and ask for samples. The best apple is often the one you taste and love right there.

I’ll close with a great recipe I found on the Food 52 website (www.food52.com/recipes) for a very easy crisp that tastes incredible. Serve this with vanilla ice cream and wait for the applause!

BEA’S NO-PEEL APPLE CRISP (It’s true, there’s no need to peel apples for a crisp!)

TOPPING

1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour [Alice: whole wheat flour is delicious for this]

1/2 cup rolled oats

1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

1/2 cup sugar

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1/8 teaspoon salt

FILLING

1 orange, grated, zested and juiced

1/4 cup dried apricots, coarsely chopped

1/2 to 1/4 cup sugar (depending on tartness of apples)

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

6 medium crisp, flavorful apples with a decent balance of sweetness and acidity (Pippins, Sierra Beauties, Pink Ladies, and new-crop Jonathans, Jonagold, Cortland, MacIntosh, or a mixture of  apples)

1.      Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350° F (176° C).

 

2.      To make the topping: Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Set aside.

 

3.      To make the filling: Combine the orange zest, juice, and chopped apricots in a small bowl. Let the apricots soften while you prepare the apples.

 

4.      Mix the sugar and cinnamon in a large bowl. Quarter and core the apples. Cut each quarter into 3 to 4 chunks. Toss the apples with the sugar and cinnamon. Stir in the apricots and juice.

 

5.      Scrape the mixture into a 2-quart baking dish about 2 inches deep and spread it evenly.

 

6.      Distribute the crumbly topping evenly over the apples.

 

7.      Bake for 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours until the crisp is well browned on top and the juices are bubbling and thickened when you tilt the dish. (If your apples were a bit dry, you may not see any juices towards the end of the baking time; if so, the well-browned topping is your cue to doneness.)

 

8.      Serve warm or cold.

Add Recipe to Cook'n