Gala Vs Empire Apples – The Differences
Each apple variety has a signature taste, texture and color. Two of the most popular varieties are Gala apples and Empire apples, which have unique characteristics. Therefore, what are the differences between Gala and Empire apples?
Empires are sweet and tart while Gala is sweet with no tartness. Gala’s texture is soft and crisp while Empire is hard and crisp. Gala is lighter with orange, pink and red while Empire is a deeper red with green spots. Empires are better for apple pie than Gala due to them holding together better when baked.
So, let’s get down to the details and discuss what makes Gala and Empire apples different from each other. I’ll examine their tastes, textures, color, nutrition and what each one is good for.
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What Are Gala Apples?
According to the US Apple Association, the Gala apple is the most popular apple cultivar in the USA, and for a good reason 1. These versatile apples are perfect for snacking and cooking. What are Gala apples?
Gala apples are a cultivar invented by J.H. Kidd, who crossbred Kidd’s Orange Red apples and Golden delicious apples to create the very first Gala. These apples have a crisp texture and light, sweet flavor with an orange and red appearance.
What Are Empire Apples?
Empire apples, named after the Empire State, New York, have a unique taste and texture 2. They’re the quintessential New York apple making up 60% of the state’s apple exports 3. What are Empire apples?
Empire apples are a hybrid cultivar created by researchers at Cornell University in the 1940s. These apples are a cross between Macintosh and Red Delicious apples. Empires are crisp and sweet with a hint of tartness. They have red and green-streaked skins with a white, dense interior.
Gala vs Empire Apples: Taste, Texture and Colors
Although these apples are both popular cultivars, they have some essential differences which might make one or the other the better option for you.
Let’s examine the differences:
| Gala Apples | Empire Apples | |
| Texture | Soft, dense and crisp | Hard and crisp |
| Taste | Sweet, no hint of tartness | Both sweet and tart |
| Color | Orange, pink and red | Deep red with green spots |
| Nutrients | More calories and calcium | More fiber and iron |
Gala Apples Texture
Many people ask, are Gala apples crisp or soft?
Gala apples have a crisp texture, although the water and fiber content can make them less crunchy than some other apples. Galas are dense with plenty of water contents giving them their fresh-tasting crunch.
Gala apples change in texture when they’re overripe or out of season 4. Sometimes, when the apples aren’t fresh, they may become grainy, bitter and softer. That’s why it’s essential only to purchase fresh, high-quality Gala apples.
Empire Apples Texture
Are Empire apples hard or soft?
Empire apples are very crisp and rarely get soft. Their skins are a bit thicker than those of Gala apples, although they’re still thin enough to easily bite into. Empire apples don’t need peeling to enjoy their fantastic texture.
Empire apples are dense and crunchy. Therefore, they don’t bruise easily, making them the perfect lunchbox variety of apples.
Gala Apples Taste
What do Gala apples taste like?
Ripe, in-season Gala apples have a mild sweet taste with floral notes. The taste doesn’t overpower other flavors. Gala apples don’t have any tartness since they’re low in acidity.
Since they don’t overpower, Galas are popular for cooking or combining with other foods. Many people compare the taste to pears because they have a subtle taste with a unique texture 5.
They have a very aromatic quality, often described as floral or honey-like. This gives them a unique and desirable flavor.
See how Empire compared to another famous apple in my article, Empire vs Red Delicious Apples: The Ultimate Comparison.
Empire Apples Taste
Are Empire apples sweet or sour?
Empire apples combine sweetness and a low level of tartness for a uniquely complex taste. They have a touch of the tangy taste found in melons or pineapples.
Their superb sweetness is compared to Red Delicious apples and their tartness to McIntosh apples. Most people compare the taste of Empire more to McIntosh. Empires have sweet skins easy to bite into.
Smoothie Tip: Empires are better for smoothies. Adding frozen fruit, instead of ice, enhances the flavor and nutrient content of the smoothie. The secret to an easy smoothie with frozen items is having a blender powerful enough to handle the workload.
In addition, try these easy to make smoothies for incredible health, rapid weight loss and energy!
Gala Apples Color
The delicate skins of Gala apples are usually yellow or orange with red or pink streaks. These apples should have little to no green color, which signifies they aren’t yet ripe. The skins are thin, which makes them very edible.
Fresh, high-quality Gala apples won’t have any brown spots on them, also called russeting.
Russeting is a quality to avoid in apples, so don’t purchase Gala apples with brown spots, especially if the russeting is around the apple’s stem.
The inside of a Gala apple is usually cream-colored to yellow, and these apples brown rather quickly when they’re cut.
Empire Apples Color
Empire apples have green to red skins with plenty of pink and red streaking. The red color is deep and dark, like its parent, the Red Delicious apple. Although it has characteristic bright green spots fading into pink and maroon.
Inside the apple, the color is a very light white that resists browning after cutting it.
Gala and Empire Apples Nutrition
The following table compares the nutrients of Gala and Empire Apples:
| Nutrient | Gala Apple (1 medium apple) |
Empire Apple (1 medium apple) |
| Calories | 94 | 80 |
| Carbohydrates | 23 g | 22 g |
| Fiber | 3.2 g | 4.9 g |
| Sugar | 16 g | 16 g |
| Potassium | 163 mg | 169 mg |
| Calcium | 10.78 mg | 9.24 mg |
| Iron | 0.09 mg | 0.29 mg |
| Vitamin C | 4.8 mg | 4.8 mg |
Nutrient Sources (Nutrition Value: Apples, raw, with skin, gala)) 6
As you can see in the table above, there is not much difference between Gala and Empire apples. If someone was to ask, which is better, Gala or Empire apples?
Empire apples are better than Gala apples due to its greater number of fiber, potassium and less calories. Empire contains 230% approximately more iron than Gala apples. Empire has a crisper texture and more red color.
While apples have a great reputation for being good for you, you may be wondering why after looking at the table.
The answer is in the apples’ skin which contains many antioxidants. In addition, the skin contains half the fiber. Therefore, it’s wise to leave the skin on the apple, whether eating them whole or adding them to smoothies.
In fact, the apple’s antioxidants are so powerful, scientists have calculated it’s equal to more than 1,500 milligrams of vitamin C.
Gala vs Empire Apples for Baking and Cooking
When baking apples most people think of apple pie. A good apple pie filling should consist of apples with a tart and sweet taste. The filling should hold together and not turn too mushy. The wrong apples can ruin a good apple pie.
Are Empire apples good for apple pie?
Empire apples are good for making apple pies due to its sweet and tart flavor which is needed for a good apple pie. The Empire apple holds together well when baked which is good for a pie filling.
Are Gala apples good for apple pie?
Gala apples are not good for apple pie due to its sweet flavor and the flesh will break down too much from the high heat of the oven. Apple pie needs a sweet and tart flavor plus a flesh that will hold together better than Gala.
What are Empire apples best for? Empire apples are good for apple pies because they hold together well and have a sweet and tart taste. They are also good for juices, sauces, baking and salads.
What are Gala apples best for? Gala apples are good for apple crumble and apple sauce due to the flesh which will break down when being cooked or baked. They are a good addition to salads because they are not tart.
FAQs
What apple is comparable to empire? Apples comparable to Empire are Braeburn, Crispin, Fuji and Pink Lady.
Is Gala a good eating apple? Gala is a good eating apple due to its sweet taste and soft bite. It’s good as an anytime snack or added to salads.
Are Empire apples sweet? Empire apples are both sweet and tart making it a good addition to most baked goods like apple pie.
Wrapping Up Gala vs Empire
So, ultimately, Gala apples are different from Empire apples. Galas have a sweet taste, while Empire apples have a tart flavor.
Fiber-rich Empire apples are harder and crisper than Galas, which are still crisp but have a softer texture due to their lesser fiber 7.
Lastly, you can recognize Galas by their lighter orange, pinkish-red color, while Empires have a unique deep red color with green spots 8.
Read Next – More Apple Articles!
Fuji vs. Gala Apples – A Complete Comparison
Fuji Apple vs McIntosh – What’s The Difference?
Can Bananas and Apples be Stored Together?
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- Washington Apple Commission: Apple Varieties[↩]
- Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Comparing apples to apples[↩]
- Wikipedia: Empire (apple) [↩]
- Cornell University: Apple expert explains the history of Gala vs. Red Delicious plus what to expect from the 2018 season[↩]
- NC State Extension: Malus domestic Gala[↩]
- Nutrition Value: Empire apples by Meijer, Inc.[↩]
- PennState Extension: Why All the New Apple Varieties?[↩]
- University of Illinois Extension: Apples and More[↩]
