14 recipes to make the most of Québec’s apple harvest

🍎 Apple picking is back

Québec orchards are opening their gates and fresh apples will be filling home kitchens over the next few weeks. Cortland, McIntosh, Empire, Honeycrisp, each variety brings its own strength, and I have put together a lineup to make the most of a full bucket from the orchard. Five classic desserts, two salads that break the usual cheese cube routine, a homemade applesauce and butter to jar for the winter, an overnight oat to set up the weekday mornings, and a couple of extra sweet bites to close out the box.

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Homemade Apple Crisp

The most efficient fall dessert: golden oat topping over apples that soften and compote as they bake. Add a scoop of ice cream and you are done.

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Open apple pie with calvados

A grown-up pie, with calvados bringing a real depth to the fruit. For the end of a dinner where nobody wants to leave the table.

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Apple and maple bacon pie

The bacon-maple-apple combo, the Québec trinity, in a pie that works just as well for dessert or brunch. Serve it warm with a strong coffee.

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Apple Turnovers Recipe (Puff Pastry)

Classic turnovers like the ones from the school cafeteria, only a thousand times better because they come straight out of your oven. Crisp puff pastry, melting apples inside.

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Caramel Apple Cake Recipe (Cinnamon Topping)

A tender cake with a moist crumb, loaded with apple chunks, drizzled with homemade caramel sauce just before serving. Nothing fancy, all in the execution.

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Apple Jelly Recipe (No Pectin Needed)

A clear, glossy jelly made with just apples, sugar and a little lemon, no added pectin. The apple-season classic for toast or a cheese board.

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Homemade Applesauce Recipe (Cinnamon)

The applesauce you jar for the winter, to spoon over oatmeal, yogurt, or eat straight. Twenty minutes on the stove for six months of smiles guaranteed.

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Apple butter with maple syrup

A spread that has nothing to do with applesauce: caramelized, dense, sweetened with Québec maple syrup. To slather on Saturday morning toast.

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Apple and maple bacon muffins

Sweet-and-savory muffins with real maple bacon and applesauce baked into the batter, plus diced Gala apple. Breakfast that breaks out of the usual muffin tin.

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Kale salad with quinoa, apple and goat cheese

A full salad that holds its own as a meal. Massaged kale gets tender, and the apple balances the sharp goat cheese.

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Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oats Recipe (No Cook)

The breakfast that assembles itself the night before in a mason jar. In the morning, everything is ready: cinnamon, grated apple, creamy texture. Back to school without the stress.

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Apple fritters

The real fried fritters you would find at orchard stands. A batter coating apple rings, dusted with sugar and cinnamon. The authentic thing.

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Apple, pear and lime pancakes

Thin pancakes studded with diced apple and grated pear, brightened with fresh lime zest. A breakfast that’s a change from French toast, ready in minutes.

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Pork tenderloins stuffed with apples, goat cheese and spinach

Butterflied pork tenderloins stuffed with spinach, apple and goat cheese, finished with a Dijon mustard and apple beer sauce. The weeknight dinner that looks like a Sunday roast.

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