Applesauce with a Twist

By: Wes Simons | May 13 2010
Posted in Seattle - Cook It - Seattle

It’s the middle of winter in Seattle, or at least that’s what the calendar says. During the colder months people crave hot, hearty food and an easy way to satisfy that craving is with a warm bowl of applesauce. Washington apples are available year round and you should be able to get them from any local source. From the classic crunch of a Red Delicious to the green tartness of a Granny Smith, all types and varieties are represented. Applesauce is one of the easiest ways to use up those apples that have been sitting in the refrigerator bin for awhile. Besides eating it warm from the pan, it also works well as a low-calorie, high-fiber topping on ice cream, as an elegant addition to baked pork, or wrapped up in a silky pastry dough for a turnover.

Photo: Wes Simons

Wes’s Homemade Applesauce:

1 large bowl full of apples (mixing several varieties produces the best flavors)

Cinnamon to taste

4 squirts of honey

3/4 cup brown sugar

Lemon (that’s the twist)

Directions

First peel and core the apples (this is my favorite part), and don’t throw the peels away. Apple peels make an awesome snack and contain most of an apple’s nutrients. Once the apples are peeled, place them in a big pot with just enough water to cover the bottom of the pan so the apples don’t burn. Add in your cinnamon, honey and brown sugar. Brown sugar and honey are both sweeteners, so you can reduce or change the combination to your liking.

If you can’t have sugar, you can just add cinnamon or a non-sugar sweetener. I also add some lemon at this point, because I like the combination of sweet and sour that it adds to the applesauce. You can throw in berries or whatever else you think might go well. Stir the apples frequently until they cook down. Once they’re good and brown, but still a bit thick, pull half of the chunks out and puree them in a blender. Mix the blended parts with the chunky parts left in the pot and you have a wonderful homemade applesauce.