What Makes A Great Baking Apple?

September 7th, 2009

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by Cherie Carb

Want to know what a great baking apple is? It is an apple with a skin tough enough not to break down during baking. It is an apple with sweet and tart in it’s flavor.

An example is the Cortland Apple. Cortland Apple is a great baking apple. It is available in the fall of the year, around September.

In 1898, in a New York State Agricultural Experiment Station, an apple was born from cross breeding other apples. It was the Cortland apple.

The name of the Cortland Apple came from the county in New York, Cortland County, which gets it’s name from Mr. Pierre Van Cortlandt.

Cortland County got its name from Mr. Pierre Van Cortland the President of the Convention who wrote the 1st Constitution for New York State. Mr. Pierre Van Cortland also served as lieutenant governor for the state as well. So the Cortland possesses a historic name in New York.

Being a juicy apple, makes Cortland apples great for anything. Being sweet and tart also does too. The flesh of this apple is white where as others tend to be yellow in nature.

Baking is not all these apples are great for. They make great additions to a fruit salad or kabobs or garnishes for other items. How about with crackers and cheese on a plate? Yum!

A great baking apple should be tested for firmness. To do so, put the apple in your hand. Do not squeeze it but see if it is firm and heavy in weight. If so, then it is the one you want.

At the grocer, make sure your apple’s skin does not wrinkle too, as it may have been kept in storage too long or not have been cold storage at all.

To keep the Cortand fresh, place them in your frig where it is cool. These apples won’t freeze. I mean unless your frig gets below 28F, then what else did you freeze?

A tip if you are going to have them sitting out for a longer period of time sliced up, rub the slices in a bit of lemon juice. It will keep them from browning up too.

Best way to enjoy this great apple to me is fresh off the tree, so take your kids to your local orchard to pick the apples. It is fun and my girls love it. ENJOY!

About the Author:

Still trying to guess out what apple to bake with? Help is here. I have ideason that and more on my blog www.simpledessertrecipes.net. Do you love chocolate? I have great fudge recipes too on my blog at www.simpledessertrecipes.net.