Description/Taste
Spitzenburg apples are medium to large fruits, averaging 7 to 8 centimeters in diameter, and have an oval to oblong, blocky shape. The skin is taut, firm, semi-tough, and chewy with a green to yellow hue, covered in red striping and blush. There are also small, textured russet spots surrounding the stem and seen on the fruit's shoulders. Underneath the surface, the flesh is crisp, pale yellow to green, dense, aqueous, and semi-coarse, encasing a central, fibrous core filled with dark brown seeds. Spitzenburg apples are aromatic and have a bright and balanced, sweet-tart flavor with subtle, spice-filled undertones.
Nutritional Value
Spitzenburg apples are a good source of fiber, which has been shown to promote digestion and maintain healthy bowels. The apples also contain potassium to balance fluid levels in the body and offer small amounts of vitamins A and C, which can help boost the immune system.
Applications
Spitzenburg apples are best suited for both raw and cooked applications, including baking, steaming, and poaching. When fresh, the fruits are primarily eaten straight, out-of-hand, or they can be sliced and tossed into green salads, chopped and mixed into grain bowls, or displayed on appetizer platters with cheese. Spitzenburg apples are also popularly juiced and used for craft apple ciders. In addition to fresh applications, Spitzenburg apples can be hollowed, stuffed, and baked as a sweet-tart dessert, or they can be incorporated into tarts, pies, muffins, cakes, and galettes. In the 19th century, Spitzenburg apples were one of the most popular apple varieties used for apple pies. The crisp fruits can also be cooked and pureed into sauces, or they can be dehydrated and canned for extended use. Spitzenburg apples pair well with nuts such as pecans, hazelnut, and almonds, vanilla, pumpkin, spices such as nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves, herbs such as rosemary, mint, and parsley, citrus, and ginger. Whole Spitzenburg apples will keep 2 to 4 months when kept in cold storage. The flavor of Spitzenburg apples will improve with prolonged storage.
