Homemade Apple Sauce

If you have apples then you have the makings for a dessert that is ideal for virtually any occasion. 

Apple sauce is perfect for popping on top of porridge in the morning, as a healthy after school snack, or to serve up as an after meal dessert. It also tastes great when served as a topping for pork roast or chops. With a hint of cinnamon this dessert is creamy, sweet, and a wonderfully nutritious treat. It only takes a minute to warm up in the microwave. and the warmed applesauce with a dab of ice cream in the middle is a delicious treat that even kids will enjoy. It is an old country recipe that remains popular today.

Our Organic Apple Tree Supplies Us Yearly With A Rich Crop

For those who love their applesauce, apple pie, or apple crisp, I cannot say enough good things about having an apple peeler on hand to help out with the job.  

With the number of apples we harvest in a year it truly is an indispensable tool. An apple peeler makes the harvesting job so much easier and I have my youngest daughter to thank for this very thoughtful gift.

This handy gadget works amazing for quickly peeling and coring the apples. It really does help out like an extra pair of hands in the kitchen. I love it. I attach the apple peeler near to the edge of my work table and place a large bowl under it to catch the discarded peels and cores. 
 
With a simple turn of the handle at the bottom of the gadget the apple peeler easily suctions to the table top. I then pop the apple onto the three prongs extending from the crank shaft and turn the handle at the far left. The apple easily moves through the blades cutting and coring as it does. 
Clean up is a breeze. I rinse the gadget under hot running water, give the blade a dab or two with my cloth and it is clean.

My husband is a bit of a skeptic. He had not wanted to invest in a peeler as he thought it would not manage the home grown apples with their often odd shapes. He was wrong and I am so grateful that my youngest daughter surprised me at Christmas with this gift.

I was thrilled to find that the peeler worked on virtually any size apple and adjusts itself automatically to each size. It both peels and cores in one smooth move. I am not sure why but it worked best when apples were placed with the stem side facing away from the blade.


The only apples that I had trouble with in the peeler were exceptionally odd shaped apples or ones that I had cut to remove a bad spot from (so again an odd shape apple). Once cut the slices are nicely thin which is perfect for eating or the ideal size for whichever apple recipe you might want to prepare that day. I have used it to prepare apples for pie, apple crisp, apple cake and of course for apple sauce as well. If you don't have this handy gadget you can of course do the peeling by hand, it will just take you a little longer.

For this applesauce recipe you will need to peel, core, and dice about 10 to 12 medium to large size apples. If you put them directly into the pot as you prepare them then you can judge the approximate amount that you will need to fill your pot. The apples will cook down to about one half the amount that you put into your pot so go ahead and fill your pot to the top.

Ingredients:  

10 to 12 apples
1/3 cup water
1/2 cup sugar (your choice of white or brown) 
1 teaspoon lemon juice (optional)
1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

Directions:

1. Peel and core apples.

2. Put apples into a large cooking pot. Pour water and lemon juice over the apples. Cook on medium low heat for about 10 minutes.

3. Stir in cinnamon and sugar. Reduce heat to low and continue simmering till apples are cooked. Mash with a potato masher to break up apples. Stir as needed to prevent sticking to the bottom of the pot.

4. If you like a very creamy blend then after the apple sauce cools you can use a blender to further cream your apple mixture.
You can prepare a small batch to consume right away or do up larger amounts and freeze in bags or containers for future use. * Apple peels and cores can be used to create homemade apple cider vinegar or they can be composted into your garden area or compost bin.

We have all heard the phrase an apple a day keeps the doctor away so most of us know how beneficial apples are for us. They are a wonderfully nutritious fruit that is so very easy to transform into a rich creamy dessert. Cook up a pot of apple sauce today. 
 
Applesauce is a Dessert that is Delicious Served Hot or Cold


The snow came early this year before we could get our final picking done. I think the old tree looks gorgeous with a few apples still hanging from its branches.

Related Articles by Lorelei Cohen