August is here, and with it, our new Book of the Month: Treasure Island! A story about ships on the high sea and tropical locales seemed like the perfect way to end the summer.
Plus, I’m a wild Robert Louis Stevenson fan. 😉
For our appetizer, I wanted something light and fun. Inspired by Jim Hawkins’ eavesdropping session in the apple barrel, I decided to make baked apple chips, using a recipe I adapted from Fifteen Spatulas. The result was crispy and cinnamon-y, a comforting reminder of home…which Jim no doubt needed when he learned the crew was planning to mutiny!
Eavesdropping Apple Chips
“In I got bodily into the apple barrel, and found there was scarce an apple left; but sitting down there in the dark…a heavy man sat down with rather a clash close by. The barrel shook as he leaned his shoulders against it, and I was just about to jump up when the man began to speak. It was Silver’s voice, and before I had heard a dozen words, I would not have shown myself for all the world…for from these dozen words I understood that the lives of all the honest men aboard depended upon me alone.“
— Treasure Island
INGREDIENTS:
- 3 small Gala apples
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- and…that’s literally it. Ãœber simple, right? 🙂
Makes approximately 2 servings
INSTRUCTIONS:
- First, preheat your oven to 225°. Then wash and dry your apples.
- Using a mandolin or crazy-awesome knife skills, slice your apples into super thin disks.
Thin=deliciously crispy. Thick=soft and chewy, not the best qualities in a chip. - You can use an apple corer to press out a circle in the middle, or leave the little star shapes in. It’s up to you! Just be aware that little folks can have trouble eating the tough lining where the seeds used to be.
If you’re in a rush, you can core the apples before slicing them, but I’ve found it can make the circle come out ragged, which isn’t as visually appealing as a nice, crisp circle. - Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper and arrange the apple slices on the pans in a single layer (approximately 1 1/2 small apples will fill up a pan).
- Lightly dust both sides of each apple slice with cinnamon (approximately 1/4 tsp per pan).
Look for ones that are “too thick” and “won’t crisp.” Eat them right off the tray. Tell no one of your treachery. - Pop the pans in the oven and let the slices bake for 35 minutes.
- At the 35 minute mark, flip your apple slices and return them to the oven for another 25 minutes. NOTE: Every oven and apple type is different, so the first few times you make these, you’ll want to keep a careful eye on them the last 10 minutes or so.
- Here’s where it gets interesting: Turn the oven off, but leave the pans inside. Let them sit in there until the oven is almost completely cooled. This is when the slices start to crisp up!
- When the oven is almost room temperature, remove the pans and let the chips sit for another 30 minutes or so, until they’re completely cooled.
- Check out that crunchy, crispy goodness!
- Serve while eavesdropping on the mutinous pirates from Treasure Island! 🙂
Here’s the Yummly printable!
Ingredients
- 3 small Gala apples
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
- First, preheat your oven to 225°. Then wash and dry your apples.
- Using a mandolin or crazy-awesome knife skills, slice your apples into super thin disks.
- You can use an apple corer to press out a circle in the middle, or leave the little star shapes in. It's up to you! Just be aware that little folks can have trouble eating the tough lining where the seeds used to be.
- Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper and arrange the apple slices on the pans in a single layer (approximately 1 1/2 small apples will fill up a pan).
- Lightly dust both sides of each apple slice with cinnamon (approximately 1/4 tsp per pan).
- Pop the pans in the oven and let the slices bake for 35 minutes.
- At the 35 minute mark, flip your apple slices and return them to the oven for another 25 minutes. NOTE: Every oven and apple type is different, so the first few times you make these, you'll want to keep a careful eye on them the last 10 minutes or so.
- Here's where it gets interesting: Turn the oven off, but leave the pans inside. Let them sit in there until the oven is almost completely cooled. This is when the slices start to crisp up!
- When the oven is almost room temperature, remove the pans and let the chips sit for another 30 minutes or so, until they're completely cooled.
- Serve while eavesdropping on the mutinous pirates from Treasure Island!
[…] made fruit chips from apples before, but I’d never tried making more traditional dried fruit. Now seemed like as good a […]