I don’t know why so many of us stop eating applesauce after childhood—turning apples into applesauce is easy to do, takes no time at all, and is completely customizable to your liking. If you remember applesauce only as sweet, one-note mush, it’s time you stepped away from the grocery aisle and made some yourself.
How to make applesauce
Three pounds of apples sounds like a lot, but it’s only about five apples, and it will produce about three cups of applesauce. Choosing apples is a highly personal choice; go all Cosmic Crisp, and you’re making the applesauce equivalent of a Juicy Fruit. Go all Gala, and it may be so tart you want to throw it over some ice cream. I like a mix of apples, with a little tart and a little sweet.
Peel the apples, and then cut them into chunks, cutting out the core. Keep the saucepan next to you and place the apples in it as you peel and chop. Sprinkle the cut apples with lemon juice as you go to keep them from browning. Pour maple syrup over the apples and mix it in; add the spices and the zest of an orange to the pot. Juice the orange and add that too. Mix everything well in the saucepan, then bring slowly to a boil over medium-high heat, and turn down to medium to lower it to a simmer. Cover the pot and allow it to cook for twenty minutes, stirring every five minutes or so. Turn off the heat, but leave the pot on the stove with the lid on. It will continue to steam, softening the apples.
Choose your texture
Now it’s about texture. The apples are soft and will break down as much as you let them: If you like consistent mush, use a stick blender or place the mixture in a food processor or blender and blend away. If you prefer a chunkier sauce, use a potato masher to crush the apples to the texture you prefer, leaving as many pieces of apple as you like.
You can adjust the taste, too, if you feel more spice is warranted; consider adding a dash of hot pepper to give it a healthy kick, or Chinese five-spice and ginger for a more nuanced taste profile. You can add more maple syrup or brown sugar, or even molasses. A dash of apple cider vinegar will give it a little bit of an edge.
Get the sauce into the fridge so it can cool. (You can eat it warm, but most people enjoy it cool or room temperature.) The sauce can stay in the fridge for up for five days or so, but don’t worry, it won’t last that long.
Elevated applesauce recipe
Ingredients:
3 pounds mixed apples
½ cup maple syrup
Juice of ½ a lemon or 2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 clementine or small orange
1 teaspoon ground mace
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon star anise powder
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon salt
Directions:
Peel the apples, core them, and cut them into chunks. Place the apple pieces in a saucepan, and toss them with the lemon juice.
Add maple syrup and spices to the apples. Zest and juice the orange and add them to the other ingredients. Stir it well.
Bring the mixture to a boil over medium high heat, then lower it to a simmer. Cook for twenty minutes with the cover on, stirring every five minutes or so.
Turn the heat off, but leave the pot on the burner with the lid on, for another 10 minutes.
Use a blender or food processor to make a smooth applesauce, or use a potato masher to make a chunky applesauce.
Adjust the seasoning to your taste, and refrigerate.