https://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/homemade-applesauce • Posted by Melissa Beth
Homemade applesauce is wonderful and bears little resemblance to the store bought stuff. The favorite apple is the honey crisp. I had gone on an apple buying spree so this batch was a stash buster: honey crisp, braeburn, and red delicious (the small, local NY State ones not the huge ones). I used mulling spices in the beginning. I think it gives good flavor but isn't necessary.
Homemade applesauce is wonderful and bears little resemblance to the store bought stuff. The favorite apple is the honey crisp. I had gone on an apple buying spree so this batch was a stash buster: honey crisp, braeburn, and red delicious (the small, local NY State ones not the huge ones). I used mulling spices in the beginning. I think it gives good flavor but isn't necessary.
Put one cup of water in a medium sized pot. Add mulling spices. Mine were in a tea bag. If they are whole spices, put them in cheese cloth or leave them in there whole and strain out later. I left mine in the cold water for 30 minutes (I wanted to watch The Simpsons).
Peel, core, and slice apples. Some people leave the skin on which is good, too.
Pile apples in pot. It will cook down a a lot so don't worry. I suppose I could have used a bigger pot, but it worked.
Turn the burner to high heat, let the water boil, and stir constantly. Try to mix the apples from the bottom to the top. If you piled it in like me, you will have to be careful to not knock apples out :-)
Cook on high heat, stirring constantly until apples are soft and a pale yellow. Turn the burner to simmer. Stir occasionally and simmer until the mixture is not watery and the apples are breaking apart on their own. It will be nice and mushy. Mash to whatever consistency you want. You really only need a fork because the heat has done most of the work.
Let it cool a bit. I decided to add cinnamon (1 tsp). I also added 1 tbsp of agave nectar, which is a nice light sweetener. Stir the cinnamon and sweetener in and then eat and be merry! Serve warm off the stove, room temp, or cold. Put in a glass jar and you have a nice gift :-)