Whether you’re craving a sweet crumble twist for breakfast or a savoury fried chicken feast with tangy slaw, these apple recipes are guaranteed to warm hearts and satisfy cravings this autumn. 

Deconstructed breakfast apple crumbles 

Serves 4  

Ingredients 

2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp brown sugar
2 apples, halved
2 Tbsp water
1 Tbsp vanilla vodka
¼ cup oats
¼ cup almond butter
¼ cup + 1 tsp honey
4 Tbsp cream cheese
1 tsp vanilla essence 

Method 

1. Preheat oven to 160°C.
2. Heat the butter and sugar in a pan. Add the apples, cut sides down and fry for 5 minutes over medium heat. 
3. Add the water and vodka and cook for 5 minutes.
4. Mix the oats, almond butter and ¼ cup honey. Spread on a tray and bake for 5 minutes.
5. Mix the cream cheese with 1tsphoney and vanilla essence. 
6. Adda dollop cream cheese onto a plate, top with apples, drizzle with pan juices and sprinkle with oat crumble. 

Recipe & styling: Chiara Turilli
Photography: Samantha Pinto/HMimages.co.za 

Buttermilk fried chicken with apple slaw  

Serves 4  

Ingredients  

For the buttermilk fried chicken  

 8 chicken pieces
4 Tbsp rice vinegar
2 Tbsp each soy sauce and sriracha
4 garlic cloves, grated
2½ cups buttermilk
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp dried mixed herbs
3 tsp origanum
1 tsp mustard powder
1 Tbsp smoked paprika
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp black pepper
2 tsp salt  

For the apple slaw  

 ¼ green cabbage, shredded
½ red onion, sliced
1 green apple, julienned
Handful coriander, chopped
Juice of ½ lime
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
¼ cup honey
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
¾ cup olive oil  

Method   

1. For the buttermilk fried chicken, mix together the chicken, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sriracha, garlic and buttermilk. Allow to marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
2.  Preheat oven to 180°C.
3. Mix all the remaining dry ingredients together and season well.
4. Heat enough oil to deep-fry the chicken in a large pot.
5. Roll each chicken piece in the flour and fry until golden. Arrange on a baking tray and bake for 15 minutes, until cooked.
6. For the apple slaw, combine the ingredients, season to taste and serve with the fried chicken. 

Recipe & styling: Chiara Turilli
Photography: Samantha Pinto // HMimages.co.za