Although I’ve had apples on my mind since we began planning for Apple Fest three months ago, now that it’s September, and Apple Fest is fast approaching, it finally feels like the proper time to embrace all things apple!
Apple Fest is taking over Lincoln Avenue, between Lawrence and Sunnyside Avenues, from Friday, October 2 through Sunday, October 4, 2026.
The Chopping Block is getting ready to make over 600 apple pies. If you’re wondering what goes into 600+ apple pies, the short answer is: a lot! Each pie contains eight Granny Smith apples so we order nearly a ton (2000 pounds) of apples. We also need more than 950 pounds of butter, 325 pounds of flour, almost 300 pounds of granulated sugar, nearly 65 pounds of shortening, and almost a gallon of cinnamon. Each pie is baked in a 10.25-inch Lodge cast iron skillet, and we need 400 in house, so that means storing and handling more than 2,100 pounds of cast iron! If you’re keeping track, that’s almost 7000 pounds of ingredients and cookware, by the time all the pies are baked.
It takes over 230 labor hours to make the dough and bake the pies, and that doesn’t count our time in the booth during the festival. It’s staggering to think about and plan for, but it’s our 23rd year (and Apple Fest itself started in 1988!), so it has become a true labor of love. For me personally, this will be my 10th Apple Fest (we all missed 2020, and I was busy with a newborn last year!), and I’m excited to be back in action.
In addition to Apple Fest, I’m getting ready to take my kids on our annual apple picking outing, and I already know what I’ll be making as soon as I get home. One of my favorite fall finds in the last few years has been the apple cinnamon sourdough from Trader Joes. It’s savory with some sweetness – perfect for toast at breakfast, but also delicious for sandwiches. While I’d love to have the time to make my own sourdough, it’s just not feasible right now. My 3-year-old and 1-year-old keep me busy, so I cannot take on the responsibility of a starter, too.
But I love baking and enjoy any project that the kids can help with. That’s how my Apple Fritter Focaccia came to be. After seeing a reel online, I made some tweaks, and my new favorite fall apple recipe was born. Foccacia, while typically savory, is the perfect bread for any beginner or for anyone short on time. It requires no kneading, no starter, and can be topped with anything!
Delicious warm from the oven, perfect for breakfast, dessert, or as an accompaniment to any meal, this focaccia is sure to be a fall favorite in your home too. If savory flavors are more your style, I also made an apple and rosemary version that was delicious, so I encourage you to experiment.
Apple Fritter Foccacia
Serves: 12
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Inactive Time: 2.25 hours
Total Time: 3 hours
For the dough:
4 cups bread flour
1 3/4 cup warm water
2 teaspoons instant yeast
6 tablespoons vegetable oil (2 tablespoons for the dough +2 tablespoons for the pan + 2 tablespoons on top of the dough)
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons salt
For the apples:
2 tablespoons butter
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and diced
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
2 tablespoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon flour
For the glaze:
1 cup confectioners sugar
1/2 teaspoon corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
2 tablespoons water
Flaky salt to garnish (optional)
1. In a large bowl, mix warm water, yeast, vegetable oil, sugar and salt.
2. Add bread flour to the bowl, and stir to combine.
3. Cover the bowl a damp towel and let rest for 90 minutes.
4. Stretch and fold the dough with a spoon, roughly 20 times.
5. Evenly coat bottom and sides of a 9x9 (or 9x13) pan metal baking pan with 2 tbs oil.
6. Place the dough into the pan. Cover and let rise for 45 minutes.
7. While the dough is rising for the final time, heat a sauté pan over medium heat.
8. Melt butter and add apples, granulated sugar, brown sugar, vanilla bean paste, lemon juice, cinnamon, and salt.
9. Cook for 5 minutes until the apples are softened and most of the liquid is evaporated.
10. Turn the heat off and stir in and flour.
11. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
12. Scatter cooked apples over the top of the proofed dough.
13. Dimple the dough, pushing the apples into the dough with your fingertips.
14. Drizzle 2 tbs vegetable oil on top of the dough.
15. Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
16. While the focaccia is baking, in a small bowl, mix the ingredients for the glaze.
17. When the focaccia is done baking, let it cool for 5 min before drizzling the glaze over the top. Sprinkle with flaky salt for a sweet and salty finish.
We hope to see you at Apple Fest, three weeks from today. There’s a slice of pie with your name on it! Looking to avoid the lines? Preorder your whole pie and choose your pickup date (Friday, Saturday, or Sunday). We’re really excited to partner this year with ERIS Brewery and Cider House, also a woman-owned, small, local business. We’ll be serving their E-phoria cider in a special collaborative can. In addition, we’ll have an apple mule canned cocktail, a non-alcoholic apple cider from Ellis Family Farms, and brand new t-shirts designed by one of our chefs, Nolan Narut!
Want to learn how we make our apple pie? You’re in luck. We’re offering our Bake and Take Apple Pie classes again on Saturday, October 3 and Sunday, October 4 at 10am. In the 90 minute session, you’ll make your own pie, as well as some apple fritters to enjoy during class, and then you can enjoy Apple Fest as your pie bakes and cools, and pick it up just a few hours later. The 10.25in Lodge skillet is yours to keep!
Ready to think about Thanksgiving? Leave dessert to us! Whether you are hosting the holiday or enjoying it at someone else’s home, our apple pie is the perfect ending to the meal. We offer pick ups on Tuesday, November 24 and Wednesday, November 25. Aside from Apple Fest, this is the only other time we sell our apple pies!
Looking to learn more ways to incorporate apples into your cooking? Check out some of our amazing upcoming hands on cooking classes:
-
Date Night: Trip to Wine Country Saturday, September 26 6pm
-
Fall Harvest on the Grill Friday, September 25 6pm
- Date Night: Oktoberfest Friday, October 9 6pm
-
Cupcake Boot Camp Saturday, October 24 10am
We can’t wait to enjoy apple season with you! Looking for more apple recipes? Check out my Baked Apple Pancake, Apple Pie Eggrolls, German Apple Cake, or my Apple Cider Donut Bundt Cake for more of my favorites.
