Seems apple dishes are much-loved by us all. We received a massive 179 entries in our recent reader contest asking for your favourite apple recipe.

With such a large number of entries, Ray McVinnie and Jo Elwin had their work cut out for them to select and test the finalist recipes, and decide on the winning entry. Stay tuned, the winner will be announced next week (August 24). Meanwhile, take a look at this behind-the-scenes video of the judges hard at work in the test kitchen and see if you can work out who that winner is.

%4433282539001%

Here are some of the entries that initially caught our attention. Note: These reader recipes have not been tested by Bite.

Mrs Bradbury’s no fuss apple and berry shortcake

I have been making my No Fuss Apple and Berry Shortcake for over 20 years and it is a family favourite ... also a fave at the school where I teach. It gets snaffled up quickly when I bake it for our traditional Friday morning tea. It truly is no fuss and delicious! - Coram Bradbury

250g very soft butter
¾ cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla essence
2½ cups flour
2½ tsp baking powder
400g can apple
400g can boysenberries or blackberries (drain and pat with paper towels to remove excess juice)
Icing sugar to dust

1. Mix together soft butter, sugar, egg and essence until thick and creamy.
2. Add flour and baking powder.
3. Line 20cm x 30cm slice tin and spread ⅔ of shortcake into tin. Layer apple and berries over the shortcake then pull off chunks of leftover shortcake and place evenly over fruit. Bake for 30-35 minutes at 170C. When cool, dust icing sugar over the top.

Note:

By using a cake tin and this recipe, you can create an apple and berry tart. Also, you can add white chocolate for a bit of decadence!

Joanne Sullivan’s total luxury apple crumble

10 granny smith or braeburn apples, peeled and chopped into large chunks
1 Tbsp cornflour
1 big juicy lime or lemon, zested and juiced
225g butter
2 cups oats (I like the unprocessed rolled ones) but whatever you have
¾ cup soft brown sugar
⅔ cup plain flour (or coconut flour)
5cm square of grated fresh ginger- add more if you love ginger ( substitute with 2 tsp ground cinnamon if you hate it)
1 cup long thread coconut
1 cup roughly chopped nuts (macadamia nuts are my favourite) but you can use almonds, Brazils, walnuts or what you like

1. Peel and roughly chop the apples, mix in the cornflour with the lemon/lime juice.
2. Put in an ovenproof baking dish that will fit in the microwave (or cook until slightly tender in a pot). Microwave until just tender and cornflour has thickened the apple.
3. Prepare topping by rubbing butter into oats, sugar, flour, ginger and coconut. Add nuts. You should have a lumpy mixture. None of these quantities have to be totally exact but try and keep the butter sugar and flour proportions about the same. You can also use gluten free coconut flour.
4. Sprinkle the topping over the apples
5. Bake slowly at 160C for about 30-40 minutes until topping is crisp and brown and apples tender. Serve with whipped cream and sprinkle lime zest or cinnamon on top of the cream.

Norma Cooper’s apple, ginger muffins

1 cup chopped dates
½ cup boiling water
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup stewed apple, approximately 2 apples
2 Tbsp preserved ginger, diced small
½ cup oil or 60g melted butter
1 egg, beaten
½ cup sugar
2 tsp ground ginger
2 cups self-raising flour

1. Place dates, boiling water and baking soda in a bowl and allow to cool slightly. Add all other ingredients and lightly mix.
2. Fill muffin tins and bake 200C for 12 - 15 mins depending on size of muffin tins.

Kay Brydon’s apple and Anzac crumble

¾ cup caster sugar
½ cup water
3 green apples, peeled, cored and sliced
1 bunch rhubarb, trimmed and chopped
125g punnet (or frozen) raspberries
10 Anzac biscuits
50g butter, chopped
To serve: Icing sugar, warm custard and ice cream

1. Preheat oven to 180C.
2. In a large saucepan, combine sugar and water. Stir over a medium heat until sugar dissolves. Add apple & rhubarb. Simmer, covered, for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally until just tender. Remove from heat and stir in raspberries.
3. Place biscuits in a good processor. Pulse to form rough crumbs.
4. Spoon fruit mixture into 6 individual ramekins.
5. Bake 15-20 minutes until crispy. Dust with icing sugar. Serve with custard and ice cream.

Jonathon Greensill’s apple pie

I am 11 years old and I love apples raw, sliced and every other way. My mum and I invented this really good apple pie recipe. - Jonathan Greensill

1 sheet pre-rolled sweet short pastry
3-4 apples
Juice 1 lemon
Tart berry jam, cranberry jelly or Anathoth Berry Christmas Mince
Cinnamon sugar

1. Heat the oven to 190C.Get one sheet of pre rolled sweet short pastry. Roll it out a bit bigger and cut in half.
2. Butter or baking spray a rectangular loose-base flan dish. Join the two pieces of pastry together and line the flan dish (don't eat the pastry).
3. Get three or four whole apples, peel, quarter and cut into thin slices. Toss the apple slices in the lemon juice.
4. Spread the base of the pastry with the berry jam, cranberry jelly or berry mince.
5. Put the apples into the pastry in rows. Mix some cinnamon with some sugar until light brown (or as cinnamony as you like it). Cover the apples thickly with the cinnamon sugar.
6. Put the pie in the oven for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 180C and cook for another 15 minutes, or until the apple is soft, the pastry is brown and sugar is melted. Cool a little and then enjoy.

Raewyn Pettigrew’s apple and date cake

1 cup dates
½ cup boiling water
½ cup canola oil
2 tsp vanilla essence
2 eggs
1½ cups plain flour
1 tsp each baking powder and baking soda
1 cup sugar
2 apples, peeled and grated
Topping
1 egg, lightly beaten
¼ cup sugar
1 cup desiccated coconut

1. Preheat oven to 180C. Lightly grease a 20-23cm ring pan.
2. Place dates in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Allow to cool.
3. Place oil, vanilla and eggs into a bowl. Beat until well combined. Sift the flour, baking powder and baking soda into the oil. Mix then add the sugar. Beat well.
4. Add the apples to the flour and oil. Mix together with the cooled dates and water. Mix well. Pour into ring pan and bake for 35 minutes.
5. Meanwhile mix egg, sugar and coconut together well. Dot evenly over the baked cake and return to the oven for 10 minutes or until the topping is golden. Enjoy warm or cold.

Apple ginger upside-down cake

Here is my favourite apple recipe - old fashioned, perhaps, but delicious and easy to prepare. It comes from The Aunt Daisy Cookbook, edited by Barbara Basham and first published in 1968. It is a lovely cake but I prefer it as a delicious dessert. - Wendy Ashton.

1. Thickly slice some apples and put in a buttered baking dish. Sprinkle with 2 tsp cinnamon and ⅓ cup sugar.
2. Melt ½ cup butter in ½ cup boiling water. Add 1 cup golden syrup (I usually use a little less).
3. Sift in 2½ cups flour, 2 tsp ground ginger, 1 tsp baking soda and ½ tsp salt.
4. Pour on top of apples and bake in a moderate oven, about 45 minutes. Turn out upside down. Serve with cream or custard.

Juliet Smith’s apple meringue shortcake

This recipe can be used all year round – it’s also great with strawberries and vodka in summer! - Juliet Smith

1. Preheat oven to 180C. Grease and line 28cm x 18cm baking pan with baking paper.
2. Combine 4 large peeled and sliced apples in a microwave bowl, add 1 shot of your favourite liquor (calvados, ½ cup cider, limoncello are all good) and 1 Tbsp sugar. Cover and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring after every minute until soft. Beat 125g butter with ⅓ cup caster sugar until light and fluffy. Add 1 egg, ½ tsp vanilla and 1 tsp grated lemon rind. Fold in ¾ cup plain flour and ½ cup self-raising flour. Spoon batter evenly into pan. Bake for 20 minutes until pale golden and cool for 10 minutes.
3. Drain excess apple liquid and spread over base.
4. Beat 2 egg whites with ½ cup caster sugar until stiff peaks form and spread over apples. Sprinkle flaked almonds on top and bake for 15-20 minutes until crisp and lightly golden. Cut into pieces and dust with icing sugar. Serve warm or cold with thickened cream or crème anglaise.

Sour cream apple flan

This is a very easy dessert and can be made with halved pears as well, placed cut-side down. It’s best eaten slightly warm, but is also good cold and it is rich enough not to need any extra cream or ice cream. – Pam Sims

Shortcrust pastry for a 23cm pie dish
3 level Tbsp flour
Good pinch salt
1 tsp cinnamon, plus extra to sprinkle
1 tub sour cream
1 cup soft brown sugar
4-5 apples, preferably granny smith

1. Heat oven to 200C. Line a dish (deep enough to take thick chunks of apple) with the pastry.
2. Mix flour, salt, cinnamon, sour cream andmost of the sugar and stir until smooth.
3. Peel and core the apples and cut each into eight sections. Arrange close together in circles in the pastry shell and pour the cream mixture over. Make sure it covers all the apple pieces.
4. Mix the reserved sugar with the extra cinnamon and sprinkle over the top. Bake for 10 minutes.
5. Turn the heat down to 170C and bake for a further 30 minutes, until the apples are soft and the filling is set. Serve straight from the oven dish.

Irene Eades’ apple, orange and cinnamon pancakes

Irene created this recipe herself and likes the pancakes topped with lavender syrup. You can top them with whatever you fancy but Irene adds that the pancakes are also sweet enough to eat alone. Makes 10.

Apple sauce
6 apples
1½ cups water
2 Tbsp sugar
Juice from 1 orange

Pancakes
2 cups flour
1½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
2 eggs
½ cup milk
½ cup unsweetened Greek yoghurt
1½ cups apple sauce
2 Tbsp warm milk
1 Tsp baking soda

1. To make the apple sauce, peel and chop apples. Place in a pan, add water and sugar.
2. Boil until apples are soft. When soft, place in blender with the orange juice and blend into a sauce.
3. To make the pancakes, sieve flour, baking powder and cinnamon together in a bowl. Make a well in the centre and add eggs and milk. Mix together and add yoghurt.
4. Fold in apple sauce. Mix baking soda with warm milk and add to the mixture.
5. Fry in a little butter. Serve with your favourite topping.

Apple shortcake stacks

I have been making these apple stacks for over 10 years. I think the recipe came from a magazine. It is now a family favourite and is easy to make and assemble and impresses every time. - Karen Spencer. Makes 5

2 apples, any variety
½ cup liquid honey
1½ cups water
1 tsp cardamom seeds
½ cup sweet white wine
2 sheets sweet short pastry
½ cup walnut pieces
2 Tbsp raw sugar

1. Core apples and slice into 1cm horizontal slices. Do not peel.
2. Place honey, water and cardamom seeds and wine in a large saucepan. Bring to boil. Turn to a low heat and add apple slices. Cook until apples are tender.
3. Remove apple slices with a slotted spoon. Reserve syrup.
4. Cut 10, 7cm rounds from pastry sheets. You can use a glass or cup for sizing.
5. Chop walnuts finely and press over the top of the pastry rounds. Sprinkle with raw sugar. Bake pastry at 190C for 10-12 minutes. Cool pastry rounds.
6. Reduce remaining honey, water, cardamom seeds and wine by half.
7. To serve: Place a pastry round on a serving dish with 2 or 3 apple slices. Top with another pastry round. Drizzle syrup over pastry and apple slices. Serve with cream, custard or ice cream.

Pannekoeken

This apple pancake (pannekoeken) puffs up as it bakes; it makes a lovely breakfast. Not sure where it came from, my mum has made it for years. - Brian O'Keefe. Serves 6

2 Tbsp butter
3 eggs
Pinch of salt
120ml milk
65g flour
Icing sugar (optional)
Topping
100g brown sugar, packed
1½ tsp cinnamon
⅔ tsp nutmeg
3 medium apples, peeled, cored, thinly sliced (granny smith work well)
6 Tbsp butter

1. Preheat the oven to 210C. Put the butter into an ovenproof frying pan or dish and slide into the oven to melt.
2. Meanwhile, prepare your batter by beating the eggs in a large bowl. Add the salt, milk, and flour and continue to beat until smooth.
3. When the butter has melted, swirl the pan to coat it, then pour in the batter. Bake for about 15-18 minutes without opening the oven door. The pannekoeken is ready when it is browned and crisp around the edges.
4. To make the apple topping, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg in a bowl. Add the apples to the bowl and mix gently to coat, then set aside.
5. In a large saucepan, gently melt the butter then add the apple mixture and cook over a medium heat until the apples are tender. Spoon over the hot pannekoeken, sprinkle with icing sugar, cut into wedges, and serve.

Chocolate apple betty

A favourite with Liz Rawlings who was given this recipe by her friend Caroline Beattie, in London.

1 kg apples, peeled and cored
30g butter

Crumb layer
125g soft white breadcrumbs
100g light soft brown sugar
100g dark chocolate, roughly chopped
75g butter, melted
3 heaped Tbsp golden syrup

1. Slice the apples, put in a pan and toss with the butter and a couple of tablespoons of water over a moderate heat. When the apples start to soften, but still keeping their shape, tip them into a baking dish.
2. Mix crumbs, sugar and chocolate and cover apples loosely with the mixture. Melt butter with golden syrup in a small saucepan, pour over crumbs, making certain to soak them all.
3. Bake in 190C oven for 35 minutes, until apple is soft and crumbs are golden and crisp. Serve with cream or ice cream.

Teething apple ices (for happy mums and babies)

Soft, tasty, chewable, soothing, cold and easily/safely held. – Kate Greer

1. Line an ice cube tray (preferable a rounded shape) with several small muslin face cloths.
2. Grate Yummy lemonade apples into a bowl and then fill the muslin-lined ice cube shapes. Do not overfill.Take the cross corners of the muslin and tie to form a 'ghost shape' that baby can hold while sucking.
3. Freeze and then place in a plastic bag in the freezer for teething emergencies.

Megan Allan’s childhood apple turnovers

A favourite from when I was a kid. So simple even the kids can make them.

1. Take ready-rolled puff pastry, cut each square in four.
2. On one half put sliced apple that has been tossed in raw or brown sugar and a tsp of cinnamon. For an extra treat, spread one side with cream cheese first.
3. Fold into a triangle and seal edges. Brush with egg wash and cook in oven for 15 minutes.

Salted caramel upside-down cake

This is something we regularly make in our house on cold winter nights. The recipe comes from Pinch of Yum blog, adapted from a recipe on Sally's Baking Addiction. – Simon Hall

Sauce and topping
2 cups very thinly sliced apples (3-4 apples)
½ cup salted butter
⅔ cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ tsp ground cloves
1 tsp vanilla extract

Cake
½ cup salted butter
1 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
¼ cup milk
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp cinnamon
Sea salt for topping

1. Generously grease a round 9-inch cake pan. Slice the apples with a mandoline to get them super thin, like paper. Or if that's not possible, as close to paper as possible.
2. Sauce: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Add the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and vanilla. Keep over medium heat and cook for about 3 minutes until smooth and thickened slightly. Pour the caramel into the greased cake pan and top with the apple slices.
3. Cake: Preheat the oven to 325F (165C). Beat the remaining butter and brown sugar until creamy. Add the eggs and milk and beat until incorporated. Stir in the flour, baking powder and cinnamon. Pour the cake on top of the caramel and apple layer in the cake pan.
4. Bake for 45 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes. Invert onto a plate and tap the top until the cake comes out onto the plate. Sprinkle with sea salt. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Sophie Hinton’s breakfast ‘cheesecake’

1. Make a base from crumbled Weetbix and melted butter. Press into the bottom of a tumbler.
2. Layer with apple which has been stewed with vanilla and cinnamon. Top that layer with Greek yoghurt and sprinkle with crushed apple chips for that added crunch! A healthy and delicious start to the day.

Apple-braised pork chops

I have had this recipe for 20 years and do not remember the origin. It’s so simple and tastes delish. – Maxene Bates

1 Tbsp oil
2 pork chops, seasoned with salt and pepper
½ cup apple juice
2 Tsp Worchestershire sauce
2 Yummy lemonade apples, peeled and sliced
1 Large onion, sliced

1. Heat oil in frying pan, brown chops on both sides
2. Add apple juice and Worcestershire sauce to pan. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Turn pork chops over and add sliced apples and onion, cover and simmer for further 30 minutes.
4. Serve with mashed potato and baby peas and carrots.

Nadezhda Manivasakan’s gluten-free, refined sugar-free Dutch pancake

I fell in love with Dutch pancake when I was living in Europe and, being a keen baker, was tying for ages to recreate this recipe in a better and, preferably healthier, way - gluten-free and refined sugar free. This is the most amazing result.

2 medium sized green apples, such as granny smith
1 red apple, such as royal gala
3 Tbsp butter or coconut oil
1 tsp nutmeg
2 tsp cinnamon
⅓ cup coconut sugar
3 eggs
¾ cup millet flour
¾ cup coconut cream
1 tsp organic vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 220C. First, caramelise thinly sliced apples or pears: melt butter or coconut oil in a frying pan, add sugar and spices, and fry fruit slices for 5-7 minutes until they become soft and slightly transparent. Layer them in a round baking tin or cast iron pan and put them in the preheated oven.
2. Meanwhile beat the eggs and add flour to make soft batter. Add coconut cream and vanilla extract. When the mix is smooth, take the apples out of the oven and pour the liquid-ish batter over the fruits.
3. Return to the oven and bake for about 25 minutes or until it turns dark gold. Enjoy with a spoonful of yoghurt and a sprinkle of nuts, dried cranberries, pumpkin seeds and a cup of dark coffee.

The finalists

The finalists and the winner for the apple recipe competition have been announced. Click here to view the recipes.