One of my favorite things about Autumn is going to apple orchards and picking our own apples. We always come home with more apples than we had expected…

Fortunately, apples can last a long time when they are stored in a cool place.

I recommend using apples fairly soon after they have been picked for recipes where they won’t be cooked. This way they will be at their optimal crispness. When apples are stored for a long time, their peel will begin to toughen and the flesh will get softer. They are still perfect for baking though.

This year I lugged home a huge bag of Spigold apples. They are a cross between Northen Spy and Golden Delicious apples, and they have worked beautifully for apple desserts.

I made two different types of French apple tarts with my Spigolds. The first was an Apple Nougat Tart, where a sweet dough shell is filled with caramelized apples and topped with a sugared egg white and sliced almond mixture. The topping transforms in the oven to a slightly chewy crust that adds the perfect touch of sweetness and nuttiness to the apples. It’s truly delicious.

The second was a Baked Apple Tart using an almond frangipane filling. Pate a foncer dough, which is very crisp and buttery, is filled with the almond cream and then topped with fanned apple slices. As it bakes, the almond filling puffs up into the apples and whole thing is enticingly fragrant. Eating this tart reminds me of eating a luscious coffee cake.

Every year we pick apples we also make applesauce. My mom has a food mill that we use to run the cooked apple pieces through, then the applesauce is lightly sweetened with sugar and spiced with some fresh cinnamon.While we were engaging in this process I also made some caramel apples for my brother, who is a huge fan.

But now to the Apple Spice Cupcakes. The cupcakes are tender, slightly spicy, and the perfect compliment to the grated apple pieces that are dotted throughout. I made a salted caramel sauce which I used to flavor basic Italian buttercream and also drizzled over the finished cupcakes.

Happy Fall!

Apple Spice Cupcakes (The Pastry Queen Christmas by Rebecca Rather)

• 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
• 3 cups sugar
• 2 tablespoons light molasses
• 6 large eggs
• 3 cups cake flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 cup sour cream
• 3 tart baking apples, peeled and shredded (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoons grated fresh ginger (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin tins with paper liners.

Using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula then beat in the molasses. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating between each addition.

In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, salt, and ground spices to blend.

Add the flour mixture and sour cream alternately to the batter, starting and ending with the flour mixture. After each addition, beat on low speed just to combine the ingredients. Stir in the shredded apples, vanilla, and ginger.

Spoon the batter 2/3 full into the muffin cups. Bake 20-25 minutes until the cupcakes spring back lightly when touched and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Salted Caramel Sauce (The Secrets of Baking by Sherry Yard)

• 1/4 cup water
• 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar, divided
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 1/2 cup heavy cream, warmed to 100 degrees F
• 1/4 cup creme fraiche or sour cream
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Combine the water, 1 cup sugar, and corn syrup in a medium saucepan over high heat, being careful not to get any of the mixture on the side of the pot.  Once the mixture boils, stop stirring from this point on. The caramel will be very bubbly and be careful, because it is very hot.

Meanwhile, heat a saucepan of water and place a whisk in it.

Insert a candy thermometer into the caramel pot. When the temperature reaches 300 degrees F, lower the heat to medium, which will slow the cooking. Continue to cook to 350 degrees F.

When the caramel reaches 350 degrees F, remove the pan from the heat. It should be golden brown. Let it rest for 1 minute, or until the bubbles have subsided. Add the warm cream to the caramel. It will bubble up vigorously so be careful.

Quickly whisk the creme fraiche, 1 tablespoon sugar, lemon juice, and salt into the caramel. Cool to room temperature and store in an airtight container for up to a month. When cold, it has the consistency of peanut butter.

Personally, I think this sauce tastes better if it has had a day to rest in the refrigerator.