Cider Poached Apples (3 Ways)
Cider poached apples are a tasty & warming snack or dessert. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream for a special comfort food.
I received produce for purposes of a post–well actually for a different post, but since I used it here too, I am disclosing. All opinions (drooling and overeating) are mine alone and genuine.
When I was growing up, baked apples were all the rage. Stuffed with butter, cinnamon, brown sugar and raisins, then baked until tender, who could resist the rich flavor!
Well, in theory that is. Because, almost inevitably, the filling would leak out and get lost in the bottom on the pan. Which meant the flavor was never as strong as it was supposed to be.
But this year the light bulb went on. I poach pears, which are flavored by cooking in a flavorful liquid. Why not poach apples?
So when I got a bag of miniature apples in a fruit box from Melissa’s Produce (purveyor of seriously exciting produce and more) for an upcoming blogging event (stay tuned for #springsweetsweek!), I knew what I had to do!
What are Poached Apples
The Rochester (MN) Post Bulletin says that “Poaching means cooking something gently in a liquid for a short period of time,” adding that “fruit cooked in a simple sugar and water syrup with spices or wine added is an easy preparation” that borders on comfort food.
With my fun bag of mini-apples and a few stray full-sized apples that got missed in the spare refrigerator, I was looking for a preparation method (peeling, etc) that was versatile enough for any apple. So I came up with three different approaches:
- Halved and Cored (or quartering or cutting in eighths for full sized apples). Ideal for minis, workable for any. Super easy.
- Peeled Whole (like classic poached pears). Good for serving adults rather than kids, since you need to cut around the seeds when you eat them. Better for small to large, full-sized apples. Works with the minis but it is more challenging to avoid the seeds when you eat them.
- Cored and Stuffed (like baked apples, except poached, not baked). Better for full sized apples, since it’s a challenge to core the minis, (though I did succeed).
Why You’ll Love This!
Tasty. Spiced cider infuses into the apples, then becomes a delicious syrup. Yum!
Healthier. I love a dessert that gives you a serving of fruit!
Fun and Unique. My youngest doesn’t like apple pie (silly girl), but this is too much fun to resist.
Works for any size apples. I did this with baby apples and with full sized apples. Good every time!
What You’ll Need
Ingredient Notes
- Apple CIder. This creates the syrup that the pears are poached in. Cider is the best but you could use juice.
- Honey or Maple Syrup. This sweetens and adds flavor to the poaching liquid.
- An Orange. You use both a strip of zest and the juice from an orange
- Cinnamon Stick, Whole Cloves. These, along with the orange peel, add warm spice notes to the cider.
- Apples. Any size!
- Optional Stuffing. If you would like to core and stuff your apples, you’ll want a little brown sugar, butter, raisins and maybe some candied ginger.
- Ice Cream, Whipped Cream. Optional, but delicious!
Special Tools
- If you’re planning to core and stuff your apples, you’ll probably want an apple corer. No special tools are needed for the other means of preparation.
Three Ways to Prepare Apples for Poaching.
Depending on your preference and the apples you have available, I have three preparation options for you.
Halved apples (quartered or in eights for large apples). Here I halved the minis then used a small measuring spoon to remove the core. Larger apples could be quartered or cut in eighths. No peeling is needed and it’s super easy!
Classic Peeled Fruit. Peel the apple either halfway or fully (like a classic poached pear). The exposed apple flesh absorbs the syrup better where it is peeled, though I like the health value and visual appeal of keeping the bottom half of the peel.
Cored and Stuffed Apples. Here the apple is cored, usually with an apple corer, though I used a knife (which was difficult and not recommended), then stuffed with your choice of ingredients. I used candied ginger, raisins, brown sugar, and butter. Then I poached it just like the other apples, but was careful turning to keep the filling intact.
On Apple Seed Toxicity.
I don’t know why it never comes up with poached pears, but the seeds in many fruits, including pears and apples are toxic. This doesn’t mean you need to handle them in a hazmat suit, but you probably don’t want to eat them, even just from an aesthetic perspective.
Medical News Today says that “Eating a few apple seeds is unlikely to cause symptoms. However, eating or drinking large quantities of ground or crushed seeds could result in cyanide poisoning if the dose is high enough…A 2018 analysis of previous research states that a person would have to eat around 83–500 seeds to develop acute cyanide poisoning.”
Now one of my high school friends used to eat an apple a day, core and all, though that always boggled my mind. That said, for feeding kids, I would prepare my apples in one of the two ways where the seeds are removed ahead of time. And if your kids are like mine, they’d whine about the seeds anyway.
Step by Step Directions
Peel and/or core your apples according to your chosen method (see Three Ways to Prepare Apples above).
Mix your syrup ingredients in a small saucepan. Ideally use a small saucepan that will just fit your prepared apples. Bring the syrup ingredients to a boil, then simmer for 5 minutes.
Add the prepared apples to the pan and simmer for 15-30 minutes until tender and flavorful. If there are parts of the apples that are above the syrup level, turn them periodically so all parts of the apples can absorb syrup.
When apples are tender and infused with syrup, remove them to a plate and cover to keep warm. Remove any whole spices from the syrup with a slotted spoon, then boil on medium high until the syrup is reduced, about 10 minutes.
Serve the apples with the syrup and optionally ice cream and/or whipped cream.
How to Serve
These apples are delicious as is, but they really shine with whipped cream and/or ice cream.
I decided the halved apples (quartered or in eights for large apples) were at their best spooned over ice cream. Add a drizzle of syrup, and perhaps top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon. It’s practically gourmet!
The peeled and poached apples were great served simply. I added a nice soaking of syrup and a dollop of whipped cream. Serve this with a knife and fork (like poached pears) to make it easier to get them apart and avoid the seeds.
The cored and stuffed poached apples can be served as is, since they have a tasty filling inside. Drizzle liberally with syrup here too!
Variations and Special Diets
If you want to change this up, you could use other ingredients in your poaching liquid. I went with spiced apple cider since it was reminiscent of the baked apples of my youth. But you can also poach your apples in wine, like the classic wine poached pears. In that case, you’ll probably need some additional sweetener. Or add a shot of brandy (or other hard liquor) for another “grown up” poached apple.
And of course, there are many other delicious ways to use the versatile apple. Consider my Betty Crocker French Apple Pie (which I also make in a mini French apple pie for 2-4). Or for another kid pleaser, these Glazed Apple Pie Bars can’t be beat—it’s kind of like an apple slab pie. And then there’s the ever popular apple turnover.
Gee I think I may need to buy more apples before the season is over.
Leftovers
Leftovers will keep for a few days sealed and refrigerated. They can be eaten warm or cold, though I prefer this warm and will reheat this in the microwave.
Tips & FAQs
I recommend you select your apple preparation method (halved, peeled, or cored) based on your fruit size and audience. All three methods are fun and delicious cooked in a fragrant spiced syrup!
Spiced Poached Apples
Ingredients
- 4 full-sized apples or equivalent in small apples
Syrup:
- 2 cups apple cider
- ½ cup orange juice
- ¼ cup honey or maple syrup
- 1 1 by 3-inch strip orange zest
- 1 cinnamon stick
- ½ t ground cardamom
- 2 cloves
Optional Filling & Topping
- your choice of raisins, brown sugar, butter, candied ginger if you core and stuff
- ice cream, whipped cream optional for serving
Instructions
- Prepare your apples according to your chosen method, either halve and core, peel halfway or fully, or core and stuff with dried fruit and brown sugar (see notes).
- Mix your syrup ingredients in a small saucepan. Ideally use a small saucepan that will just fit your prepared apples. Bring the syrup ingredients to a boil, then simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add the prepared apples to the pan and simmer for 15-30 minutes until tender and flavorful. If there are parts of the apples that are above the syrup level, turn them periodically so all parts of the apples can absorb syrup.
- When apples are tender and infused with syrup, remove them to a plate and cover to keep warm.
- Remove any whole spices from the syrup with a slotted spoon, then boil on medium high until the syrup is reduced, about 10 minutes.
- Serve the apples with the syrup and optionally ice cream and/or whipped cream.
Poaching them in spiced cider sounds like a brilliant idea, it must infuse them with such delicious flavor. Real Yum!!!!
Lovely way of preparing apples. When we had our apple orchard in New Hampshire with a 100 different varieties of apples, we grew lady apples that were less than 2 inches in size. A chef from one of the restaurants nearby would come one a year to buy those tiny apples for a special meal he prepared. We were the only orchard that grew them.
Wow I consider having an orchard the stuff that dreams are made of Karen! And yes, it was really fun getting creative with the small apples!
I was just wondering the other day why we poach pears and not apples. Thanks for the answer! Those little apples look beautiful — and, yes, such a healthy dessert.
It’s funny when that light bulb finally goes on isn’t it David!