Summer Fest: 7 Apple Desserts Beyond Pie

Here are seven ways to cook apples into a delicious dessert.
By: Cameron Curtis

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Our season-long garden party Summer Fest 2012 welcomes food and garden bloggers to feature garden-to-table recipes and tips. We’ll feature favorite garden-to-table recipes and tips to help you enjoy the bounty, whether you’re harvesting your own goodies or buying them fresh from the market. Fresh this week: apples.

Here are seven ways to cook apples into a delicious dessert:

1. Apple Crumble Bars (pictured above)

Turn a traditional apple crumble into a hand-held bar treat. Spread an apple butter and dried apple filling into an oat and flour base before scattering with streusel topping.

Rachel Allen makes a Dutch apple cake that features a sugary crust. The apples sink to the bottom of the cake as they bake leaving a light sponge on top.

Combine the classic flavors of salted caramel pot de cream and cinnamon apple cake into this new take on bread pudding. Serve the gooey pudding topped with bourbon-doused apples.

Chuck Hughes - Apple Turnover

Chuck Hughes - Apple Turnover

Photo by: Adrian Mueller ©2012, Adrian Mueller / AMueller.com, Cooking Channel, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Adrian Mueller, 2012, Adrian Mueller / AMueller.com, Cooking Channel, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Caramelize Honeycrisp, Cortland, Spartan or Empire apples and spoon into puff pastry for Chuck Hughes' tender turnover that goes great with soft, fresh sheep's or goat's milk cheese, yogurt or ice cream.

Photo by: Squire Fox

Squire Fox

Use Fuji or Gala apples to get the right texture. Since the cake should be tender, a tender-sweet apple is important.  From the buttermilk batter to the deliciously nutty flavor the browned butter, this cake could become highly addictive.

Cooking Channel's Maple Bourbon Sweet Potato Pie.

Cooking Channel's Maple Bourbon Sweet Potato Pie.

Photo by: Adrian Mueller ©2012, Adrian Mueller / AMueller.com, Cooking Channel, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Adrian Mueller, 2012, Adrian Mueller / AMueller.com, Cooking Channel, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Fill this French cake with eating apples that have been macerated in sugar, rum, orange flower water and lemon peel overnight so that they stay crisp and delicious.

Kelsey Nixon - Apple Crisp

Kelsey Nixon - Apple Crisp

Photo by: Adrian Mueller ©2012, Adrian Mueller / AMueller.com, Cooking Channel, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Adrian Mueller, 2012, Adrian Mueller / AMueller.com, Cooking Channel, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Kelsey Nixon's 5-star apple crisp is a classic fall favorite. Sprinkle a toasted nut and oat topping over baking apples before baking until bubbling. Serve with warm vanilla bean ice cream or fresh whipped cream.

More Apple Recipes From Family and Friends

Jeanette's Healthy Living: Gluten-Free Jewish Apple Cake

Virtually Homemade: Apple Pie Muffin
Made by Michelle: Pear Apple Crisp

From My Corner of Saratoga: Spiced Apple Dutch Baby

Thursday Night Dinner: Apple Bread Pudding

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