When you bake with apples, make sure that you use apples that are specially grown for baking purposes. Baking apples retain their shape and do not become mushy with cooking. They have a nice sweet - tart balance.

Some of the best baking apples:

Cortland - The flesh of these apples do not brown or discolor easily and they are a nice addition to wine and cheese plates. They are juicy and tart with bright red skins and very white flesh.

Empire - A cross between Red Delicious and McIntosh, Empire apples are firm textured and slightly tart. The Empire apple is a great all purpose fruit - wonderful for baking and fresh eating.