Applesauce is one of those things that you can make to be spread on toast or biscuits, mixed into dough or batters for baked goods or be eaten as is, for dessert or a snack.
Making your own applesauce is very easy and you can control the amount of sugar in it and spice it according to your taste. Applesauce is simply the cooking of chopped apples with some lemon juice, sugar, water and spices. In place of lemon juice, apple cider or apple juice can be used to alter the flavour profile.
Regardless of what you make it with, applesauce is a versatile ingredient that can be used in a variety of ways, especially if you are looking to cut down on your sugar and fat intake.
Applesauce adds less sugar to baked treats while at the same time providing moisture and tenderness. Science tell us that applesauce acts like the fat in baked goods because its chemical make-up keeps the flour protein from mixing completely with other ingredients and forming a rubbery texture.
Use whatever variety of apples you have available to you. Gala is a popular type that we get here in the Caribbean.
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT
Food Processor
INGREDIENTS
● 1 pound apples, cored, peeled and chopped into 1-inch pieces
● 1 (x3-inch) cinnamon stick
● 1 tablespoon lemon juice/1/2 tablespoon lime juice
● 1/3 cup sugar (or to suit your taste)
● 1/2 cup water
DIRECTIONS
1. Add all the ingredients to a pot and place over medium heat and bring to a boil. When the pot comes to a boil, cook for 5 minutes then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook until a knife inserts easily into the apples.
2. Remove the cover and continue to cook the apples until almost all of the water is gone; you don’t want it overly dry.
3. Remove the pot from the stove and take out the cinnamon stick. Add the cooked apples to the bowl of a food processor, cover, and pulse until it is smooth to your consistency. Transfer to a bowl, insert the cooked cinnamon stick and let cool completely before using.
NOTE
● Apple juice can be used to replace the water; it will give a more pronounced apple flavour. Using apple cider will add tartness to the cooked apples.
