Baked Chai-Spiced Pink Pearl Chips

Last week I stopped by the Serendipity Farms' Friday farmstand and saw these Pink Pearl apples. These are my favorite - not just because they are gorgeous, but because they are so sweet and tart at the same time. I love them. As I schemed about what to do with my haul, my family suggested everything from apple chips to apple tarts. Done and done. But first: chips.

It's been years since I've owned a dehydrator. So, I have figured out how to make dried fruit chips in my oven. Lots of trial and error. I tried lots of different kinds of apples, different temperatures, different thicknesses of apples, and different baking times before I came up with this recipe.

I like to use a chai spice blend, but if you don't have that, you can make your own with sugar, ground cardamom, ground cloves, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, ground black pepper, and some vanilla bean powder.

As I mentioned, I've tested different apples, but these Pink Pearls produce more moist chips with a slight chew. And, I'll be honest, I loved the pink flecks that remain even in the dried chip.

Ingredients makes 1 tray

3 to 4 small apples
1 teaspoon chai spice
1 Tablespoon organic granulated sugar
Also needed: baking sheet lined with parchment or foil for easier clean-up, wire rack that fits into the sheet

Procedure

Preheat oven to 200 degrees F. Place wire rack on to of the lined baking sheet and set aside.

Slice the apples with a mandolin slicer. Because I liked the chips on the thicker side, I used setting two for these.

Place the apples in a large mixing bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and toss to coat completely. Let stand for at least 10 minutes. They will begin to get a little bit syrupy as they sit.

Arrange apples slices on the wire rack in a single layer. Bake in the preheated oven till apples are dried and edges are curling up, approximately 40 to 45 minutes.

Using a metal spatula, run the edge beneath the chips while they are still warm so that they don't stick as they cool. Note: They will not feel crispy until they cool down. They will become harder as they cool.

Enjoy immediately or place them in an airtight container and eat within a week. Honestly, ours never last the evening.

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