The Apple Variety Ina Garten Uses In Her French Apple Tarts

Many people know that there are a lot of apple varieties to choose from at the grocery store, but they probably don't realize that there are actually more than 7,500 types of apples grown around the world. Out of this astounding number, there is one type of apple that Ina Garten, otherwise known as The Barefoot Contessa, reaches for time and time again when she makes her apple desserts — specifically her French apple tarts, a dessert she proclaims is her all-time favorite. Granny Smith green apples are her choice, a varietal that you can find in almost any supermarket.

Granny Smith apples are known for being firm, meaning they tend to hold their shape even under the high heat of an oven. They are also considered a tart apple, as opposed to a sweet varietal; this tartness offsets the sugar and butter that is in many apple-based baked goods, like Garten's French apple tart. On her show, "The Barefoot Contessa," Garten mentioned she liked using Granny Smith apples because they have lots of pectin in them, which helps produce a thick, saucy gel. Pectin is also fabulous for making vegan gelatin. She has two apple tart recipes, one of which is made with a homemade crust while the other uses store bought puff pastry, but both use Granny Smith apples, plus some sugar, butter, and not much else. She uses them in her deep dish apple pies, and cranberry and apple cake as well.

Ina Garten would agree that Granny Smith apples (which, incidentally, are named after a real person) are definitely something you should keep handy if you bake a lot of apple desserts. But if you find yourself with an abundance of them, don't think you need to mix them all with butter, flour, and sugar to make good use of them. It is a very versatile varietal that you can enjoy in a lot of ways. The most basic is to eat them as is; they are pleasantly crunchy and tart. To balance out that tartness, creamy peanut butter is an excellent pairing.

For charcuterie boards, slices of Granny Smith apples make great accompaniments. Consider pairing them with creamy, spicy pepper jack cheese, or a good sharp cheddar. Because these apples are great with cheese, you can place thin slices in grilled cheese sandwiches made with cheddar or Gouda; some slices of crispy bacon wouldn't be too bad either. Speaking of cheese, you won't regret dipping Granny Smith apples into cheese fondue. Or, cut the apples into matchsticks (you can use a julienne peeler for this) and add them to salads for some tartness and crunch.