I was blessed with a gift of Honeycrisp apples this Fall.  If you haven't tried this particular variety yet, you should really shell out the extra money for them- they are definitely worth it. Apparently the same people at the University of Minnesota who created the Honeycrisps have a new variety called Sweet Tango and you bet your butt I'll buy them if I ever come across them. These Honeycrisps are fruit crack. My kids love fruit of every kind and devour it by the bushel, but I have never seen them go to town like they did on these apples.

Despite the fact that my kids were eating 1-2 of these enormous apples each every single day, I still didn't think we would eat them all up before they started spotting. I'm not sure, but they don't seem terribly sturdy and shelf stable like their much less delectable counterparts. So I decided to try my hand at some apple chips. First I made a flavored simple syrup to soak the apples in prior to cooking. I mixed 2 cups of sugar with 2 cups of water, brought it to a boil, then added 2 sticks of cinnamon and a pinch of salt. I let the simple syrup cool to room temperature and added the juice of 1 lemon and 2 Tbsp of ascorbic acid (powdered Vitamin C). You can usually find this in the spice section or canning section of larger grocery stores or at the health food store.

I washed 5 of the Honeycrisp apples thoroughly. Then I cut them in half and scooped out the seed compartment with a melon baller. Next I sliced them on a mandoline approximately 1/8-1/4 inch thick. As soon as the slices came off the mandoline, I dunked them in the simple syrup to prevent browning due to oxidation. Once all the apples are sliced, you want to arrange them fairly tightly in a large bowl or Tupperware container and cover them with the simple syrup. Place a small saucer or plate on the top to keep them submerged. You want to soak your apples in the solution for at least 2-3 hours, but I left mine for more than 24 hours and they turned out great.

Preheat your oven to 200 degrees. If you have a convection oven, make it 180 degrees if possible. Line some baking sheets or cookie trays with Silpats or parchment paper. Place your apples slices in a single layer on the baking sheets. 5 Honeycrisp apples took up 3 half-sized sheet pans for me. Bake until dry and lightly browned, approximately 3 hours. Depending on your oven, it might go faster or slower, so keep your eye on them.

You can do this with any variety of apple, but the Honeycrisps turned out great! I can't wait to try it with Sweet Tangos!

If kept in an airtight container these chips will keep for weeks. Even better if you have a vacuum sealer with a canister these beauties will last for months. Preserve the bounty!