Squash and pumpkins get a lot of frontline and center attention with the arrival of Autumn. Let’s not forget the versatile and wide assortment of varieties that apples and pears bring for the fall.
For the chillier days ahead, here’s a small baking project that’s requires some time in the oven, but relatively little active time on your part…
These fruit chips turned out so pretty! I love how some of the edges curled up into delicate ruffles. The apple’s core retained a beautiful star-like pattern. Also, sugaring the slices lent a shiny, healthy looking exterior.
I had just added a mandoline to my kitchen repertoire and eager to use it. What a useless mess. A case and point that you get what you paid for (that mandoline is on its way back for a refund!). I ended up wasting an apple (ate the sad slivered pieces for breakfast), and sliced the apple with a well sharpened knife. The apple is much firmer than the pear and took a little practice trying to get the slices uniform in thickness.
The pear is not as firm as an apple, so much easier to achieve uniform sliced thickness. Aren’t pears beautiful? They have such an unusual shape and, depending on the variety (like the Bosc), their exterior is so delicate and fragile. The pear’s imperfections add to their rustic, primitive beauty.
Adding sea salt after the apple and pear slices have been removed from the oven, but still warm, would add a great sweet-n-salty element to these little snackers. Note that your baking time may vary slightly depending on the thickness of your slices and whether you sugar them (and how much sugar you use).
These are sweet snacking treats that really can be enjoyed throughout the year. The fruit chips would be tasty add-ins for granola or sprinkling on salads or setting out for guests for snacking.
- Use a mandoline to get uniform thickness slices. If you don’t have a mandoline, cut the apples and pears into thin slices crosswise. Remove any seeds.
- Your baking time may slightly vary depending on the thickness of your slices and if you sugar the slices.
- Take extra care and precaution when removing pans from oven and handling due to the hot sugar.
- The thicker the slices the longer it takes to bake and the more sugar you coat it with, also longer.
- Allow chips to fully cool and sit out at room temperature for a couple of hours to crisp.
- For a more savory variation: Omit sugaring and sprinkle with paprika, red pepper, etc. when removed from oven. You may also have to adjust the baking time (for less time).
- A couple of different flavor ideas: Instead of using sea salt, sprinkle with either cinnamon or a combination of chai spices.
1 apple
1 pear
granulated sugar
sea salt (optional)
Preheat oven to 220 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper OR silcone baking mats.
Slice both the apple and pear crosswise into very thin slices. If you have a mandoline, use its thinnest setting, otherwise slice to about 1/8-inch slices. Remove seeds.
Using about 1/4 cup granulated sugar at a time, pour on a small plate. Dip each fruit slice in the sugar to lightly coat both sides. Place and space fruit slices on the baking sheets. Bake for about 1 1/2 hours, rotating pans halfway. After the initial 1 1/2 hours, flip each fruit slice and continue baking for about another 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
Remove from oven and carefully remove each fruit slice off of the hot pan and onto a clean sheet of parchment paper or baking mat to continue cooling (you don’t want to leave it on the pan with the melted sugar, otherwise the fruit will stick to the melted sugar and may be difficult to break apart from the sugar shards).
(Optional) Lightly sprinkle sea salt while it’s still hot/warm and the sugar is still pliable. Allow the slices to fully cool to achieve that crispy texture.
Store in an airtight container.
- Use a mandoline to get uniform thickness slices. If you don’t have a mandoline, cut the apples and pears into thin slices crosswise. Remove any seeds.
- Your baking time may slightly vary depending on the thickness of your slices and if you sugar the slices.
- Take extra care and precaution when removing pans from oven and handling due to the hot sugar.
- The thicker the slices the longer it takes to bake and the more sugar you coat it with, also longer.
- Allow chips to fully cool and sit out at room temperature for a couple of hours to crisp.
- For a more savory variation: Omit sugaring and sprinkle with paprika, red pepper, etc. when removed from oven. You may also have to adjust the baking time (for less time).
- A couple of different flavor ideas: Instead of using sea salt, sprinkle with either cinnamon or a combination of chai spices.
wok with ray says
Love these baked apples and pears. You can just keep snacking on these goodies and not feel any guilt. Thank you, Cristina! 🙂
Patty says
How beautiful..how fun and such a healthy way to snack ;). I’m ready to welcome autumn!
GourmetGetaways says
You are so clever!! I love these images!!
Cristina says
Thanks, GG!! :o)
Melissa@EyesBigger says
Great minds thinking alike! Just went apple picking and was going to to make apple chips. Like the idea of adding salt at the end very much! Gorgeous styling too 🙂
Cristina says
Thanks, Melissa — our great minds do think alike! 🙂 The sea salt flakes would lend a complimentary twist. Wish there was a place around here where we could go apple picking too. How fun!!!
michelle says
Your food photography is stunning. Can’t wait to try this.
Cristina says
It’s a fun baking project, Michelle. 🙂
Ash-foodfashionparty says
When I saw your pictures on flickr yesterday, fell in love with it.
A beautiful and simple post, would love to try this with some chai spices.
Cristina says
Mmmm, yes with chai spices! Thank you, Ash. 😀
Jas says
Can’t wait to make this. What an interesting snack to make. I’ll have to try making it in different variations to see what I would like best. Never seen these before. Does it get crunchy? Thanks for the great idea.
Cristina says
Hello and thank you, Jas! Yes, the idea is to get them crunchy. The thicker the slices the longer it takes to bake and the more sugar you coat it with, also longer. You can omit the sugar altogether… 😉 xo
Sandra says
How creative and cool, your pictures are off the hook!!! This is sophisticated snacking for sure.
Cristina says
Thanks Sandra – yes, a tasty snack for sure! 😉
Laura (Tutti Dolci) says
Fabulous fall snack idea – I especially love the pear chips (something I haven’t seen before!).
Cristina says
Thx Laura. They’re kinda addicting, these little snackers! 😀