BY LAUREN SEPHTON

With the apple harvest in full blossom, it is hard to find an excuse not to discover new ways to bake and/or cook with them! With the abundance of scrumptious recipes to use them in, no doubt there is one for everyone. Check out below a few traditional-with-a-twist recipes to try out this apple season.

Blackberry Apple Jam:

Servings: 2 medium-sized jars

Total Time: 48-50 minutes

Ingredients:

400 grams Blackberries

400 grams Green Apples, peeled & cored

400 grams Sugar

Juice of 1 Lemon

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 250F.
2. Add the green apples and blackberries with ¼ cup water to a large saucepan over medium heat. Cover with a lid and cook for 18-20 minutes, or until apples have cooked down.
3. Reduce to low heat and mash the fruit to remove any lumps.
4. Add in the lemon juice and sugar to the saucepan. Stir until the sugar has dissolved, about 1-2 minutes.
5. Bring to a boil and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes. Occasionally stir to prevent any burning.
6. Test jam for setting point. (Place a small amount of jam on the back of a spoon, allow it to cool for a few minutes, then use your finger see if the jam wrinkles when moved forward.)
7. Allow the jam to cool for 15 minutes in the saucepan. In the meantime, heat up the jars and lids in the oven, while the jam is cooling.
8. Working carefully, evenly distribute the jam into the jars and cover with their lids.

Salted Caramel Apple Pie:

Servings: 8

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 35-40 minutes

Total Time: 45-50 minutes

Ingredients:

For the (V) Salted Caramel Sauce:

½ cup Full-Fat Canned Coconut Milk

¼ cup Maple Syrup

7 Medjool Dates, soaked in water overnight

¼ to ½ tsp. Maldon Sea Salt

For the Apple Pie:

4-6 Apples, a variety of Honey Crisp, Pink Lady, and Granny Smith Green Apples

1 tsp. Vanilla Extract

1 tsp. Allspice

Pastry for double-crust pie (9 inches)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. To make the vegan salted caramel sauce, blend the soaked dates, maple syrup, and coconut milk on a high speed until creamy and smooth, about 2-3 minutes. Fold in the Maldon sea salt and set aside.
3. Peel and thinly slice the apples, then place them into a bowl. Add in the allspice and vanilla extract and mix together until incorporated. Finally, fold in ½ cup of the salted caramel sauce until evenly distributed.
4. Line a 9-inch pie plate with the bottom crust and trim the edges. Fill with the apple mixture and roll the remaining crust to fit the top of the pie over the filling. Trim and seal the edges together. Cut a few slits in the top of the crusts.
5. (Optional) Beat an egg to wash over the top crust and then sprinkle with little sugar.
6. Place the pie in your oven on the lower rack. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

Homemade Spiced Apple Cider:

Servings: 10-12

Total Time: 3 hours

Ingredients:

8-10 (Assorted Variety) Medium Apples, quartered

1 Orange, quartered

4 Cinnamon Sticks

1 Tbsp. Whole Cloves

1 Whole Nutmeg

½ cup Sweetener of Choice, such as Maple Syrup, Brown Sugar, or Honey

Instructions:

1. Add the oranges, apples, cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, and whole nutmeg to a large stockpot. Pour in 14-16 cups of water to cover the spices and fruit.
2. Bring the pot to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a simmer for 2 hours. Lightly smash the apples and cover with the lid to simmer for another hour.
3. Strain the apple cider through a fine-mesh colander or cheesecloth, then stir in your choice of sweetener. Serve warm or refrigerate up to 5 days.

Grab the family for a pleasant day at the local apple orchards in NC, picking some of the best apples out there, then grab your aprons to begin baking these handpicked fruits into your meals. Who knew that using wholesome ingredients could be so fun, delicious, and heartwarming?