Celebrate National Dessert Month With Apples

October is National Dessert Month. Be it a sugary sweet or savory selection of cheeses and wine, this end-of-the-meal treat is typically seen as the reward for eating a hearty and healthy meal.

October is also National Apple Month, at least according to the U.S. Apple Association. Apples are cholesterol and sodium free, and packed with flavonoids and fiber. They're also sweet, tart and pair well with a variety of ingredients, such as cinnamon, chocolate and cheese.

Apple Slump and Brown Betty
Louisa May Alcott (1832-1888), author of the novel "Little Women", loved apple slump so much she named her home in Concord, Massachusetts after this favored New England dessert, an adaptation of the English dessert steamed pudding.

A slump is cooked in a saucepan on the stovetop. Slices apples are boiled along with cinnamon, sugar, with a little water, then topped with a soft dough, and left to steam over low heat. The result is a gooey, sweet dessert topped with cream or a nutmeg infused sauce.

Brown Betty is adapted from an English pudding known as a Bettie, which in turn is a version of the French dessert apple charlotte.

Apple slices flavored with sugar and cinnamon are nestled between layers of buttered crumbs in a baking dish, and then cooked in a moderate oven. Served warm or at room temperature, Brown Betty is a textural delight, combining soft and crunchy in each spoonful.

Chocolate Dipped Apple Slices
Dipping apples in sugary syrups is an ancient practice, used to preserve the fruit. From these origins came caramel dipped apples, popular treats for fall festivals and Halloween parties.

As an alternative to caramel, apples can be dipped in chocolate and sprinkled with candies. For a lighter dessert though, try chocolate dipped apple slices.

Melt chocolate chips with a teaspoon of butter in a bowl in the microwave and allow the chocolate to cool slightly. Slice the apple and pat the slices dry with a paper towel. Dip each slice about halfway into the chocolate, allowing the excess chocolate to drip back into the bowl. Place the apple slices on a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator for half an hour to set the chocolate.

Serve on a pretty dish with cubes of quality cheddar cheese and cabernet wine.

Apple Pie
Pie may have its origins in ancient Greece and Rome, but apple pie has become emblematic of American cuisine. The sweet and tart of the warm apple filling nestled in a flaky crust is a year-round favorite, but warm apple pie on a cool autumn evening makes any meal special.

Add a twist to this favorite by topping the warm slice of apple pie with a slice of aged cheddar cheese, a favorite of the 19th century poet Eugene Field (1850-1895). His love for this treat is voiced in his poem, "Apple Pie and Cheese." And it has to be cheddar cheese, as the author proclaims in this verse:

And cheese! No alien it, sir,
That's brought across the sea,--
No Dutch antique, nor Switzer,
Nor glutinous de Brie;
There's nothing I abhor so
As mawmets of this ilk--
Give me the harmless morceau
That's made of true-blue milk!

Resources:
University of Illinois
Food Timeline
Time Magazine
What's Cooking America

Further Reading
Eating Local: Fall Vegetables in the Produce Aisle
Cooking Tips for Making Low-Fat Stew
Easy Ways to Sneak in Veggies