Kininaru Ringo is a distinctive apple pie made with an entire Fuji apple grown in Aomori Prefecture. Instead of cutting the apple into pieces and simmering it until soft, the whole apple is soaked in a special syrup, wrapped in thin pastry, and slowly baked.
The most remarkable feature is its crisp, juicy texture. With every bite, the apple retains so much of its natural crunch that it can almost feel like eating a fresh apple. This refreshing texture sets Kininaru Ringo apart from traditional apple pies made with soft, stewed apple filling.
The apple is carefully cored while keeping the fruit whole and with its skin intact. It is then soaked in a specially prepared syrup for more than one month.
The apple is not cooked down or softened before being wrapped in pastry. This careful preparation allows it to retain its characteristic crisp bite and juicy texture even after baking.
The hollow left by removing the core is filled with a special apple paste. This creates a moist, smooth center that complements the firm texture of the whole apple.
The pastry is made by layering the dough many times, rolling it out very thin, and then carefully wrapping each whole apple by hand.
The pastry is intentionally extremely thin so that it does not interfere with the apple’s natural texture. When baked, it develops a delicate crispness and a fragrant, buttery aroma.
The rich aroma of the baked butter pastry enhances the apple’s naturally sweet-and-tart flavor, creating a delicious contrast between the crisp fruit and the fragrant pastry.
Kininaru Ringo is produced by Ragueneau Sasaki, a confectionery company from Aomori. The company was founded in 1884 as a shop specializing in traditional Japanese sweets. It later developed the Western-style confectionery brand Ragueneau, which operates in the Tohoku region.
Drawing on its long experience in confectionery making, the company has created a variety of sweets that make the most of local ingredients, including Aomori’s famous apples.
Kininaru Ringo received the Gold Award at the 24th National Confectionery Exposition in Kumamoto in 2002. It has become a popular Aomori specialty thanks to its unusual whole-apple preparation and distinctive texture.
For visitors to Aomori, Kininaru Ringo offers a memorable way to experience the region’s renowned apples. One whole Fuji apple, soaked in syrup for more than a month and wrapped in delicate handmade pastry, creates an apple pie that is both familiar and surprisingly different.
Rather than simply filling a pie with cooked apples, Kininaru Ringo puts the whole apple at the center of the dessert, allowing you to enjoy its natural crunch, juiciness, sweetness, and acidity together with the rich aroma of buttery pastry.