Oh how I adore the Autumn chill in the air!
There’s something so uniquely beautiful about the simplicity of Fall, don’t you think? The scrunchy crunch of leaves under your shoes, the crisp chill in the air that necessitates an evening cardigan, hot tea in cold fingers, and the ability to breathe because of the lessening humidity… Thank god.
And of course… the humble produce that comes into season at this time of year. Leaving the unabashed Summer tomatoes, berries and stone fruits behind, Fall is reserved for more subtle ingredients like pumpkins, potatoes and apples.
Don’t get me wrong, my friends. I love my Summer vegetables. And I guarantee you, come February I’ll be yearning for fresh off the vine tomatoes whilst bitching incoherently (due to the bitter Winter cold) about having to come up with yet another way to transform parsnips into some kind of edible form. Blech.
But right now, as the days get shorter, the evenings quieter, and the leaves fall from the trees, I am content. Simplicity. Ya gotta love it.
It’s that feeling of self-effacing peacefulness that inspired this dessert. I wanted something sweet, something simple and something that really illustrated the unassuming, yet innately beautiful and subtle details of Autumn. And I found it.
Cinnamon apple noodles. Fall flavors of apple and cinnamon, a hint of lemon, tickle your taste buds while the apples maintain a delicate crunch as you chew. Think apple pie, without the crust. Doesn’t get much better than that.
Cinnamon Apple "Noodles"
Yield 4 servings
Ingredients
- 3 Granny Smith Apples, washed & dried.
- 1/4 C Sugar (or sweetening agent).
- Juice of one lemon.
- 2 Tbsp Cinnamon.
- 3 Tbsp Butter.
- Pinch of Salt.
- Vanilla Ice Cream, to serve.
- Apple Chips, to garnish.
Instructions
- Squeeze the juice into a large bowl and add a little water, set aside.Core the apples with an apple corer and using a mandolin, slice the apples as thinly as possible. Bathe them in the lemon water bath to prevent browning.
- Once the apples are sliced, place a large stock pot over medium-low heat. Add the butter and once it begins to sizzle, add the apples, cinnamon, sugar, salt and about 1/3 C water. Stir well, cover. Allow the apples to cook down to the desired softness, stirring often. I like them to still hold their integrity with a little bit of crunch and not totally mushy.
- Once cooked, remove from heat and serve in bowls. Top with ice cream and crumble some apple chips on top.
- Eat.
Sam
October 14, 2013 at 12:05 PMI love making things like this–apple pie, but without the time commitment. I’m definitely making this for dessert tonight!
Kristy Gardner
October 15, 2013 at 12:07 PMoooooh!! I’d love to see the final results Sam!
Deanna - Teaspoon of Spice
October 14, 2013 at 6:42 PMLove the idea of “apple noodles” – a perfect comfort food dish for fall!
Kristy Gardner
October 15, 2013 at 12:07 PMAgreed, Deanna 😉
Meghan@CleanEatsFastFeets
October 15, 2013 at 1:29 AMI always thought pie crust was overrated. This looks divine. I will be making it…hopefully sooner, rather than later.
Kristy Gardner
October 15, 2013 at 12:07 PMI know, right? Crust is good, but not nearly as good as the filling.
Kirsten
October 15, 2013 at 3:54 AMKristy,
This looks wonderful. I’m too freakin’ busy preserving summer in a glass jar (not one but two canning pots going today, doing another batch of red and starting on green tomatoes) to really miss a tomato for a very. long. time. , but I will say that I like the changing seasons. I lived in Hawaii long enough to appreciate the subtle seasonal changes–but missed the smell of Spring.
Need apples here.
Kristy Gardner
October 15, 2013 at 12:08 PMThanks Kirsten! I’ll be honest – if I could get my paws on my own tomatoes (haha, dirty) I’d be quite happy to can them too!!
p.s. the smell of Spring – the green and the dirt – is the best smell in the world. Combine that with camp fire and I’d die a happy woman 😉