Recently I was invited by the Ontario Apple Growers to visit apple farms around Toronto. On that day not only did I learn how hard Ontario farmers work to bring their fresh and local apples to city folk like us, I also learned how ideal the weather is in the Great Lake region for apple farming. So if you drive an hour out of Toronto you are likely to bump into a fruit orchard or two.

Did you know that Ontario is the largest fruit-producing province in Canada?
I came away with tons of knowledge about this humble fruit, more on that soon. I also came away with a GIANT bag of apples. The kids were excited to snack on them — they were Royal Gala, and so fresh and juicy from the orchard. And I was totally over the moon to be

October is
Since my hubby and I moved to Canada a lot has changed in our lives. That includes our food, what we cook, the ingredients we use and how we cook them. I am though still the same girl who likes to experiment in the kitchen and so ofcourse this equation makes total sense.
Apples + Diwali time = Indian sweets with a Canadian twist

Saffron-infused Rustic Apple Peda


Apple Peda | Saffron-infused Rustic Indian Sweet Made with Ontario Apples
Ingredients
- 2 cups grated apples
- 1 cup grated paneer (cottage cheese)
- 2 tbsp olive oil or ghee
- 1/2 cup sugar castor or cane – I use the latter
- 1-2 tbsp almond milk or regular milk if needed
- 2 tbsp slivered pistachios optional
- 1/2tsp saffron
Instructions
- Add oil to a non-stick pan and let it heat.
- Add grated apples in the pan and let them sit and cook. The liquid will take a while to evaporate. Keep the mixture moving so it doesn’t over-caramelize.
- This may take 15-20 mins.
- Heat a tbsp of milk for 15 secs and add the saffron strands. Let them sit and infuse.
- Add the paneer, sugar and saffron milk mixture and toss and mix,Cook for another 15 minutes. Toss occasionally.
- Spread the mixture out on parchment paper and shape into slightly flattened spheres. Your hands will feel greasy from the mixture and that’s ok.With your thumb press a dimple into the top.
- Top with slivered pistachios. Craft leaf-like faux apple tops if you’re taking pictures.
Kitchen Tips
- I made this recipe with olive oil and not ghee. It’s “reasonably healthy” except for the sugar of course.
- In the
recipe I used the Royal Gala apples I received from the kind people at Ontario Apple Growers. This variety released a fair amount of moisture. If you use Golden Delicious or even Cortland there may be less liquid and so add more almond milk. Test for sugar too. - This dish can be left on the counter for a week, and in the fridge for another week. If you do decide to refrigerate then pop them in the microwave for a few seconds. The flavour is far better served at room temperature.
You can see my other favourite Diwali sweet recipes here. I hope you enjoy them!
Festive Indian Peda made with ricotta and chopped pistachios
Easy Indian Burfi – Ricotta and Almond fudge

