15 Brilliant Ways to Use an Apple

15 Brilliant Ways to Use an Apple

11/07/2014 01:56:00 pm

Incredible treats and other ideas for when you want more than another plain apple.

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During apple season, you can only eat so many apples straight up. But that's no reason to let a single one go to waste. Use up extra apples with these creative ideas:
1. Make a dip dish: Dip looks extra ~*fAnCy*~when you serve it in a dish, but that involves cleaning said dish. Slice the top off the apple and use melon baller, metal measuring spoon, or small knife to remove the core and create a shallow bowl:
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When you finish the dip, you can eat the bowl or use it in another hack below.

2. Keep baked goods moist. Drop a few apple wedges into a sealed container with extra cake, brownies, or soft cookies to keep desserts from going stale.
/3. Serve up some soup. Take an extra large, chilled apple and slice off the top. Use a melon scooper to remove the core and insides, then fill it with hot soup. The fruit helps cool the soup, holds up better than a bread bowl, and makes canned soups look gourmet:
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You can even chop the scooped apple pieces and sprinkle them on top for a sweet alternative to soup nuts or croutons.
4. Pack apple wedges for later: OK, so this isn't the newest trick in the book, but apple slices make a great snack — even though they're notoriously difficult to preserve. Tricks designed to prevent them from browning (i.e., soaking in lemon water) work, but they always mess with the flavor. For apple wedges that look and taste fresh, cut up your apple, hold all the pieces and the core together, and secure the entire apple with a rubber band.
/5. Make mini carmel apple pops: Use a melon scoop to carve small apple balls, and pat them dry. Stab the apple with a lollipop stick or wooden skewer, dip the apple pieces in caramel sauce, and roll them in crushed nuts, shredded coconut, or granola. Chill for at least 30 minutes before serving to solidify the sauce and help the coating stick.
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6. Make a blooming baked apple sundae, aka the best sundae of your life: This trick makes a perfect baked apple for one.
1. Slice the top off the apple.
2. Use a melon baller, metal measuring spoon, or small knife to remove just the core.
3. Use a small paring knife to slice two concentric circles straight down surrounding the center.
4. Flip the apple upside down. Without slicing through the base, make narrow parallel cuts all the way around.
5. Flip the apple right-side up, place it in a ramekin, and fill it with caramel sauce, a soft caramel candy, or a couple tablespoons of brown sugar. Add a few pads of butter and some cinnamon.
6. Bake at 375 F for 30 minutes or until tender, and top it off with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and another sprinkle of cinnamon.
/7. Make an apple tea cup: Slice the top off a large apple and set it aside, then use a melon baller to remove the core and create a cup (see above). Leave some flesh at the bottom so it doesn't leak. (If you're worried, place the apple cup on a saucer.) Pop the tea bag right inside the apple and fill it with boiling water, then replace the apple top to let the tea brew for a few minutes. The heat will help release the apple's juices for a tea that's slightly sweet.
/8. Make an apple-o-lantern: Pumpkin-carving is a whole to-do — it's messy and difficult because pumpkin skin is so tough. This version is much more manageable. Just prep the apple as if you're creating a dip bowl, then use a small knife to carve a spooky face. Place a tea light inside, light the wick, and replace the apple top for a festive Halloween decoration (or to confuse your roommates any time of year). Tip: Large apples work best.
/9. Make apple ring pancakes: For moist stack of pancakes that's full of fruit instead of just empty carbs:
1. Core an apple and slice it horizontally into ¼-inch pieces.
2. Prepare pancake mix as directed, and dip the pancake into the batter to coat well.
3. Follow the pancake mix instructions to cook the apple rings on a pan or griddle.
4. Serve with maple syrup.
/10. Make a personal apple pie: To prep a mini treat, begin with an apple bowl (see above) and chop up a small second apple. Toss chopped apples in a bowl with 1 tablespoon butter, 1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/2 tablespoon flour. Stuff the mixture in the apple bowl and move on to the crust. Use a cup to cut a plain circle from premade pie dough, press that on top of the apple, seal the edges with a fork, and use a knife to create some air vents in the center of the dough. Bake in a ramekin at 375 F for 45 to 60 minutes or until the crust begins to brown. (Baking time will vary based on oven strength and apple size.)
/Oh, and if you're baking for yourself and for Instagram brownie points? Go for the gold with a lattice crust. (It looks complicated, but it only takes about 30 extra seconds.)
1. Stuff the apple with the filling outlined above.
2. Roll out some premade dough, and use a knife to cut it into ½-inch-wide parallel strips. Set half aside for weaving.
3. Number the remaining strips in your head, and gently fold back the even-numbered ones.
4. Take a weaving strip, and place it perpendicularly across the unfolded, odd-numbered strips.
5. Unfold the even-numbered strips over the perpendicular strip.
6. Gently fold back the odd-numbered strips.
7. Take a weaving strip, and place it perpendicularly across the unfolded, even-numbered strips.
8. Gently fold back the odd-numbered strips, and continue to alternate folding back odd- and even-numbered strips until you're out of weaving strips.
9. Press a glass into the weaved dough to cut out a circle.
10. Cover the stuffed apple and press the dough around the apple edges to seal in the filling.
11. Bake in a ramekin at 375 F for 45 to 60 minutes.
/11. Make apple pie pockets: Use a cookie cutter or shot glass to cut two circles from plain premade pie dough or extra dough from the lattice crust made using the technique above. Cut one slightly smaller circle from an apple slice that's about 1/4-inch thick. Sandwich the apple circle with a bit of brown sugar, caramel syrup, or jam between the two dough circles, and press along the edges to seal the apple in. Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet at 325 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes, then carefully flip and bake for 8 to 10 more minutes, or until slightly browned. Serve with vanilla frozen yogurt.
/12. Create autumnal ambiance with an apple candles: Skip apple pie-scented candles and go for the real thing. (No baking required.) Choose an apple that doesn't roll when you place it right-side up. Remove the stem and scoop a shallow hole where the stem used to be. Wedge a votive candle inside and light it up.
/13. Prep oatmeal in an apple: You know how you can combine equal parts oats and milk, pop it in the fridge before bed, and wake up to perfect oatmeal in the morning? (See more breakfast hacks here.) One-up this shortcut by using a carved apple as your bowl. You can pop the whole thing in the microwave if you like it hot and sweet – the apple's juice will seep into the oatmeal to add flavor. When the oatmeal is all gone, eat the apple bowl to complete your balanced breakfast.
/14. Make an apple heart: It's the easiest and most awe-inducing surprise ever. Press a sturdy metal cookie cutter into the side of a red apple, remove it, and use a melon baller or spoon to carefully remove the pulp within the shape. Then quarter a green apple, and use the cookie cutter to create a heart. Press the green heart into the heart-shaped hole in the red apple and voila! Your Instagram followers won't know what hit 'em.
/15. Use it as an exercise prop: When you're really sick of apples, forget eating them and press one between your thighs to activate your lower abs and thighs while you do crunches with elevated legs.
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