Because this is the Apples Issue – and because we love to eat, especially while on the clock – we decided to go out and search for as many apple-infused sweet treats as we could find. There was not much criteria other than it had to be sweet, and it had to have apple.
This gave us a lot of freedom. We wouldn’t be restricted to simply dessert options or breakfast options or general snacking options – we had the whole world of apple treats at our disposal. Needless to say, it was a pretty nice week around here.
Here’s a little sampling of some of the sweet treats we found around Concord.
Apple pie sundae
When we went to Arnie’s Place for the Ice Cream Issue, something caught our eye: an apple pie sundae. At the time, we were wrestling with an eight-scoop behemoth and had no room for anything else, but this past week we went there to see what it was all about.
The sundae is made with apple pie ice cream and comes with a warm apple pie topping, some crumbled shortbread and, of course, whipped cream and a cherry. This sundae is like the two best parts of Thanksgiving rolled into one: the apple pie and the ice cream.
Apple and almond danish
We got up early one morning last week and had a hankering for something apple, so off to Bread and Chocolate we went. One of the first things we saw behind the counter was a basket of apple and almond danishes. Yes please!
Unlike many fruit-based danishes, this one had no gooey filling. Instead, there were slices of partially dry apples on top, and the whole danish was infused with lots of sweet apple and subtle almond flavors. The texture was perfect, too – soft, but with a little bit of crisp on the outside. What a way to start the morning!
Apple strudel
While we were in Bread and Chocolate, we asked if there were any other apple treats besides the danishes, and sure enough, we were shown a big tray of apple strudel. Obviously, we said, “Just take my money already!”
This thing was a real treat. So sweet and succulent, it felt like a crime eating it in public. But if so, lock us up, because this was worth it. With a sweet, sticky filling, lighter-than-air crumbly crust and a powdered sugar coating, it’s hard to find a negative thing to say about this treat.
Apple tart
Wanting to try something with a little bit of a kick, we wandered over to Crust & Crumb Baking Co. to see what they had in store. Luckily for us, they had just the kind of thing we were looking for: apple tarts (there were some apple and cherry tarts, but for the sake of getting the pure apple experience, we opted for the regular apple tart).
This almost looked like a little mini apple pie, only with deep-dish style crust. The tart, as its name gives away, was tart, but not bitter. You wouldn’t call this a sour treat by any means, but it’s not super sweet like honey, either. We felt it was right in that happy medium zone, and we were left in a happy zone for the rest of the day after eating it.
Caramel apple cupcake
In search of some tasty apple treats, we stumbled across the New England Cupcakery Facebook page and was just hoping they had something apple on the list for that day.
If you’re not familiar with the cupcakery, they have a long list of creations that are rotated in and out. Lucky for us, the caramel apple cupcake was in the rotation.
It was an applesauce cupcake with a vanilla buttercream frosting and caramel drizzle. If your mouth isn’t watering yet, it’s about to be. The cupcake was moist. The frosting was light and delicious, and the caramel added a nice sweetness to it. Our only complaint is that we only bought one.
And just as an FYI, they also make a cinnamon apple cupcake, so we’re going to have to go back and give that one a try, too.
Apple crumb pie
While we were roaming around Apple Hill Farm, we heard a rumor that it was pie making day. And sure enough, the kitchen was putting together traditional apple pies, along with apple crumb pies and other fruity concoctions.
We opted for the apple crumb pie because it’s like combining an apple pie and apple crisp into one.
And if you like either of those, or both, you’ll love this classic New England dessert. We went for the smaller version and it was chock full of apple with a nice crumb crunch on the top. The crust was light, but held the pie together well and the mixture of apples with cinnamon, sugar and other spices made us wish we had gotten the larger size. Maybe we’ll get that one next time, like later this week when we need a little midday pick-me-up.
Cider doughnuts
Nothing says fall on the farm quite like cider doughnuts. And if you didn’t know, Carter Hill Orchard makes its own using the very same cider they produce at the orchard.
The doughnuts are made fresh every day in a little station located in the farmstand and people have been known to wait up to 40 minutes for a half-dozen on the weekends.
Try one and you’ll see why. We got a batch fresh out of the fryer during our trip to the farmstand and they were covered in sugar.
Needless to say, once we got in the car to head back to the office, the bag was opened and that first bite was incredible.
Not only were they flavorful, but so light and soft. It took a lot of will power not to eat them all in one sitting, but something like this needs to be savored.
