Apples - The Christmas Cooking Staple

The festive season is fast approaching and along with it comes a shift in the flavours and smells on menus and in recipe books nationwide. Many of the savoury favourites make way for sweet and spicy classics that are synonymous with Christmas; Christmas cakes, Christmas biscuits, Christmas puddings and mince pies are never far away throughout December.

Whilst there are a number of sweet treats on offer, apples are never far away from a bundle of the best Christmas recipes. In so many of our favourite Christmas classics, apples play either a central or supporting role in bringing all of the flavours together. But why are they so perfect for Christmas cooking?

Variety:

Thanks to the vast range of apples, your festive recipes can be tweaked and personalised to suit different flavour preferences. If you’re looking for natural sweetness that will work well with both savoury and sweet cooking, then look no further than the Pink Lady®. For bonus health points, using a Pink Lady® means you won’t need to add so much sugar thanks to its natural sweetness, meaning you get all the vitamins and fibre without adding excess sugar.

Versatility:

Part of what makes festive sweet treats is the flavour combinations, with all the warming spices complementing the sweet fruits. This is another reason why apples are perfect for festive cooking. Each different spice will combine with the apples and other fruits to boost the flavours in your recipes and these can be balanced out to suit different tastes. You may want more cinnamon or nutmeg for warming notes, or give the recipes a kick with more ginger combined with cloves. From mince pies, Christmas cake and Christmas puddings, to adding a bit of sweetness to sausage rolls or creating a good Christmas stuffing recipe; you’ll find apples in them all.

Robust:

When it comes to cooking with apples, they’re pretty hardy and robust, so you don’t need to be too careful with them; making them great for cooking with kids this Christmas time.

If kept in the right conditions, recipes for mincemeat, Christmas cakes, and Christmas puddings can be made now, so it’s time to get stuck in and start preparing your Christmas recipes. If you need inspiration for some classics or recipes you might not have thought of previously, check out our dedicated page and start creating today.