Empire apples are a McIntosh type with superior color and flavor. The Empire apple trees are a cultivar of an apple derived from a seed grown in 1944 by Lester C. Anderson, a fruit nutritionist at Cornell. The original seed was a cross between the McIntosh and Red Delicious. The Empire apple has a dark red appearance with heavy, waxy bloom and crisp, juicy flesh with some aromatic quality. Empire apples make a unique, rosy applesauce. They often lose their shape quickly when baked. Best for fresh eating. Fruit hangs on tree longer than McIntosh, but drops plenty before fully ripe. The Empire apple tree is a very consistent annual producer.