Apple sauce is the essence of apple with a little cinnamon and lemon to enhance the natural sweet-tart flavor. I make mine super healthy with no added sugar. I prefer to use a mix of Pink Lady and Fuji apples. This is the simplest recipe but it does take a little time to peel all those apples.
10 large Pink Lady apples or mix of apples
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 to 2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Peel and core the apples. Chop the apples into 1 to ½ inch cubes.
Add all the apples to a large very heavy bottomed dutch oven. Add the lemon juice, water, and cinnamon. Turn the heat on medium and cover the apples with a tight-fitting lid.
When the apples start to steam and break down give them a stir with a wood spoon and turn down the heat to the lowest setting. Let the apples cook from 40 minutes to 1 hour. Check their progress occasionally and give the apples a stir with the wooden spoon. When the apples are very soft, turn the heat off and let them sit, covered, for another 15 minutes. Mash the apples to your desired texture, very smooth or a little chunky with a potato masher.
Store the applesauce in a container with a tight lid in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. This apple sauce is great served with potato latkes. Ten large apples yeild about 6 cups of apple sauce.
[…] 2 and ½ cups granulated sugar 5 large eggs 1/2 cup vegetable oil (I prefer safflower oil) 1/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice 2 tablespoons of orange zest 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 cup Pink Lady apple sauce […]