Apple Sauce and Apple Butter
It's apple season in New York. We grow a lot of apples up here. We even have a variety named after us, Empire. I live near the Cornell University experimental orchards too.
Apple Sauce Recipe
Apples
Water
Lemon Juice
Sugar (or Brown Sugar)
cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves (optional)
Peel and core apples.
What kind of apples? Whatever kind you have, try different kinds and see how they turn out. If you live in a apple growing region you might be able to get "Utility" grade apples. They have marks but they taste fine and are perfect for apple sauce.
How many apples? However many you want. They cook down a bit so probably more than you think you will need. My mom used to make hot apple sauce for dinner sometimes she would just use enough apples to fill a 1 quart pan.
Quarter the apples and put them in a non-reactive (stainless steel or copper) pot with a little bit of water and some lemon juice. You need the water to keep the apples from burning when they are just beginning to cook. Once they get cooking you will want to reduce the liquid a bit. The lemon juice keeps the apples from browning and adds some zing to the flavor.
Simmer the apples, stirring occasionally until they soften and fall apart. Some people like to run their apple sauce through a food mill to make it smooth. I like it chunky. You can mash the bigger chunks with a spoon. Taste and add sugar to sweet if necessary. Some people like to add cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves.
Serve warm or cold. It's great on a cold Autumn night.
Apple Butter
Make a lot of apple sauce. You can add sugar and spices, but not much remember that it will be reducing and concentrating. Continue simmering and stirring the apple sauce until no liquid comes out when you drop a spoon of it on a plate. It should be thick and brown.
If you are into canning you can can apple butter in small jars.
You can make these in a crock pot, just take the lid off to reduce the liquid.
Apple Sauce Recipe
Apples
Water
Lemon Juice
Sugar (or Brown Sugar)
cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves (optional)
Peel and core apples.
What kind of apples? Whatever kind you have, try different kinds and see how they turn out. If you live in a apple growing region you might be able to get "Utility" grade apples. They have marks but they taste fine and are perfect for apple sauce.
How many apples? However many you want. They cook down a bit so probably more than you think you will need. My mom used to make hot apple sauce for dinner sometimes she would just use enough apples to fill a 1 quart pan.
Quarter the apples and put them in a non-reactive (stainless steel or copper) pot with a little bit of water and some lemon juice. You need the water to keep the apples from burning when they are just beginning to cook. Once they get cooking you will want to reduce the liquid a bit. The lemon juice keeps the apples from browning and adds some zing to the flavor.
Simmer the apples, stirring occasionally until they soften and fall apart. Some people like to run their apple sauce through a food mill to make it smooth. I like it chunky. You can mash the bigger chunks with a spoon. Taste and add sugar to sweet if necessary. Some people like to add cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves.
Serve warm or cold. It's great on a cold Autumn night.
Apple Butter
Make a lot of apple sauce. You can add sugar and spices, but not much remember that it will be reducing and concentrating. Continue simmering and stirring the apple sauce until no liquid comes out when you drop a spoon of it on a plate. It should be thick and brown.
If you are into canning you can can apple butter in small jars.
You can make these in a crock pot, just take the lid off to reduce the liquid.