My top 10 apple recipes

The apples on my tree are reaching their fantastic crisp ripeness.  There is nothing like a delicious crisp apple straight from the tree.

But apple trees can be prolific, even small ones but the joy is that apples are so versatile.  Great in salads and in cooking.  Here are a few ideas.

This simple apple tart is a fantastic and very easy dessert.

Or if you want something a bit more involved, tarte tatin is the ultimate in apple tarts.  Buttery apples with crisp pastry.  Delicious.

But don't just stick with desserts.  Salads really benefit from a mix of sweet and savoury and different textures.  Apple gives crunch and delicious tangy sweetness which works well with cheeses like in this Stilton salad.

It also works well with iron rich black pudding.  Oh I could so eat this black pudding salad right now.

As we move into autumn, it's also great to put apple into stuffing.  It adds sweetness and fibre.

Commercial coleslaws never seem to have apple in them but it adds so much sweetness and crunch to my coleslaw recipe.  

Sometimes I feel like I'm on a one woman mission for people to include fresh fruit and vegetables into every meal but this bircher muesli is a great way to get some of your 5 a day before you've really opened your eyes.

Deliciously textured the apple adds so much sweetness.

It's also great with cheese on artisan bread toast.

I don't have masses of smoothies but when I do, I tend to have them instead of breakfast as they are quite filling.  This carrot, apple and ginger smoothie is one of my favourites.

Fruit salsa might sound like a really crazy idea but actually it's a fun way to have a dessert which is mainly fruit.

Lovely with some crunchy vanilla tortillas.