If you’ve ever stood in the produce aisle and wondered what apple to select among the many varieties available, you’re not alone. Apple varieties can differ greatly when it comes to taste, texture, cooking and storage properties, making it important to make the right choice to get the best results for your recipe or pairing.

At appleforthat.com, visitors can type in what they plan to cook, from broad categories such as salads, smoothies and snacks, down to specific recipes, such as pink applesauce, fritters, candy-coated snacks and more. Using the right apple can make or break your recipe. For example, some of the best baking apples are Granny Smith and Pink Lady because these apples hold up particularly well under high heat, retaining a firmer texture. Using a good baking apple is what brings that delicious, subtle crunch to pie and other pastry delights, versus a mushy filling. The special Pinata apple by Stemilt Growers is particularly well suited for baking, as it holds up to heat and boasts classic apple flavor with a tropical twist.

For everyday fruit platters, snacks and appetizers featuring fresh, sliced or chopped apples, Honeycrisp is a fantastic option because of its incredible fracturing crunch and a refreshing sweetness similar to fresh apple cider. For whipping up a classic chicken salad, try Fuji or Golden Delicious apples, which are among the sweetest around – the extra sweetness contrasts with the savory ingredients for a more complex flavor. These apples are also ideal for applesauce due to their soft textures.

 

2-minute Apple Tart

Prep time: 2 minutes

Cook time: 25 minutes

Servings: 8

 

• 1 refrigerated ready-to-use pie crust

• 1 pound apples, cored and sliced

• 2 tablespoons cold butter

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Heat oven to 425 F.

Remove pie crust from refrigerator and warm to room temperature, about 15-20 minutes. Unroll crust and place it on large baking sheet. Arrange sliced apples on crust, leaving about two inches of space around edge.

Chop cold butter into small bits and scatter over apples. Mix sugar and cinnamon together and sprinkle over apples. Fold two-inch section of open pie crust over apples; this will not cover apples, but contain them inside crust.

Bake 20-25 minutes until crust is golden brown and apples are just soft.