What to use instead of apples
It depends entirely on what it's doing in the dish. Here's the job, what else does it, and what to skip.
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Firm fruit that holds its slices through a bake
A dense, acidic apple keeps its cell walls intact for the forty minutes it spends in the oven, so the slices stay as slices instead of slumping into sauce.
Firm pears, Bosc or AnjouRan out
Match by weight, plus 1 extra tbsp thickener per pie
Sweeter and less acidic, so cut the sugar by a quarter and squeeze in a lemon. They run more juice, hence the extra thickener.
Quince, poached firstRan out
Match by weight, poached 30 minutes before it goes in
It will not soften on its own in a pie, so the poach is not optional. The filling turns pink and tastes floral.
Firm peaches or nectarinesRan out
Match by weight, drained 30 minutes, plus 1 extra tbsp cornstarch
Much wetter and sweeter. Skip the draining and the bottom crust never crisps.
What doesn't work: Gala or McIntosh. They are low in acid and their cells give way early in the bake, so the pie comes out as a shallow layer of applesauce under a dome of empty crust.
Sweet-tart fruit that cuts fat in a braise
The malic acid and the sugar together balance rich pork or beef, and the pectin in the fruit thickens the pot as it breaks down.
Apple cider or unsweetened apple juiceRan out
1/2 cup per apple
The acid and sweetness arrive but nothing thickens, so the braise stays thin and there is no fruit left to find.
Firm pear plus cider vinegarRan out
1 pear plus 1 tsp cider vinegar per apple
Sweeter and it breaks down sooner, so add it later in the cook. The vinegar puts the missing sharpness back.
QuinceRan out
Match by weight, added 30 minutes earlier
Holds its shape far longer and carries more pectin, so the pot thickens more and the fruit stays in pieces.
Dried apple ringsRan out
1/3 cup dried plus 1/4 cup water per fresh apple
Concentrated and much sweeter with a cooked caramel edge, and none of the fresh acidity that cuts the fat.
What doesn't work: Applesauce from a jar. It is already broken down and usually sweetened, so it dissolves on contact and leaves the cabbage sweet and slack with no bite of fruit anywhere in it.
Raw fruit steeping in a cold drink
It sits in the liquid for hours giving off aroma while staying firm enough to chew at the bottom of the glass.
Firm pear, cubedRan out
1 pear per apple
Softer, so it goes mushy after about three hours in the pitcher and the pieces cloud the drink.
Halved seedless grapesRan out
1 cup grapes per apple
Sweeter with no crunch left to bite, and they sink and stay at the bottom rather than floating.
Orange and lemon wheelsRan out
1 citrus fruit per apple
Far more aroma from the peel, and bitterness builds after about four hours as the pith steeps.
What doesn't work: Apple juice in place of the fruit. It sweetens the whole pitcher, goes cloudy and dull within an hour, and leaves nothing to eat at the end.