Nothing smells more like fall than a wonderful bonfire in the crisp autumn air, and nothing tastes more like fall than Michigan apples. Whether you enjoy biting into a delicious apple right off the tree or into any one of a number of delicious dessert recipes, fall and Michigan apples are “mates” – especially when it comes to apple desserts!

What some people don’t know is that not every apple is great for desserts. In fact, one of the most popular apples, the Red Delicious, is rarely, if ever, used in desserts, mostly because its flesh doesn’t soften well when cooked, and it lacks the tartness to counterbalance additional sweetness and spices.

Because there are SO many fall apple choices at Nino’s, we’ve created an Apple Guide to help you select the best apples for every use.

Stuffed Apple Biscuits with Cinnamon Sugar Crust: Makes 2 Portions

2 Biscuits                       Pillsbury Grand Biscuits
2 TBSP                           Applesauce
2 TBSP                           Raisins
1 ea.                               Golden Delicious or Other Pie Apple
2 TBSP                           Salted Butter
2 TBSP                           Granulated Sugar
½ tsp                              Cinnamon

1. Open up the biscuit package, and remove two biscuit pieces. Gently pat or roll out into a round shape approximately 1” larger in diameter than your chosen apple.
2. Place the 2 biscuit rounds on a baking sheet.
3. Place 1 TBSP of apple sauce and 1 TBSP of raisins in the center of each biscuit round.
4. Peel apple and cut in half. Then, using a small spoon, core out each half-apple, carving out enough space to provide room for the apple sauce and raisins. (If you want, you can score the top of the apple half in a crisscross pattern. It’s a pretty look.)
5. Place each half-apple on top of the apple sauce/raisin mixture (core side down).
6. Melt butter and brush each apple half liberally.
7. Mix together granulated sugar and cinnamon, and sprinkle on each apple half liberally.
8. Bake in a pre-heated 350 °F oven for 20 to 25 minutes, and enjoy warm with  vanilla ice cream (optional).

Apple Blintz Ricotta & Caramel Sauce: Makes 4 Servings 

I happen to LOVE crepes, and a stuffed crepe is basically a blintz. Blintz can be sautéed in butter or baked (I prefer baked). 

8 ea.                           6” to 8” Crepes
2 ea.                           Golden Delicious or Other Pie Apple
2 TBSP                       Salted Butter
½ cup                        Granulated Sugar
½ tsp                          Cinnamon
1 cup                           Ricotta Cheese
1 tsp                             Lemon Juice

1. Prepare crepes and set aside. Crepes can be made even a day ahead of time, stacked one upon another, and then covered with plastic film and refrigerated. They will not stick to each other.
2. Peel, core, halve, and slice apples ¼” thick, and then sauté in the butter 5 to 7 minutes or until lightly browned and softened.
3. Add sugar, cinnamon, and lemon juice to the sautéed apples, and cook 3 minutes. Cool mixture until barely warm.
4. Lay out crepes on a clean, flat surface, and divide the ricotta mixture between the crepes, mounding each portion approximately 2 inches in from the bottom edge and centered.
5. Divide apple mixture in 8 equal amounts, and place a portion on top of each ricotta mound.
6. Fold the bottom edge of the crepe over the filling, and roll crepe a half-turn forward to cover the mixture. Next, fold the left and right sides toward the center (again, covering the mounded filling), and finally, continue to roll the crepe forward until you reach the opposite side of the crepe. The final blintz will resemble an eggroll-like cylinder.
7. Spray a small casserole dish with non-stick vegetable spray, and place each filled crepe seam side down, spacing each blintz approximately ½” away from one another.
8. Bake blintzes in a 375 °F oven approximately 20 minutes.
9. Serve 2 blintzes per person (dusted with powdered sugar, if you wish), and top with your favorite caramel sauce.

CLICK HERE to download our Nino’s Apple Guide.