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Simple Applesauce Recipe - America's Test Kitchen
If you do not own a food mill or you prefer applesauce with a coarse texture, peel the apples before coring and cutting them, and, after cooking, mash them against the side of the pot with a wooden spoon or against the bottom of the pot with a potato masher. Applesauce made with out-of-season apples may be somewhat drier than sauce made with peak-season apples, so it’s likely that in step 2 of the recipe you will need to add more water to adjust the texture. If you double the recipe, the apples will need 10 to 15 minutes of extra cooking time.
Simple Applesauce
Makes about 3 1/2 cups
Often the tart, sweet, fruity, floral nuances of fresh apple flavor are lost to a heavy hand with sweeteners and spices, so the sauce ends up tasting like a bad pie filling. The texture, too, can vary from dry and chunky to loose and thin.
Preserving the taste of fresh apples was paramount. We wanted a pure, deep apple flavor that we could use in recipe variations to swing either savory or sweet. For texture, we wanted a sauce that was soft, smooth, and thick, almost like a pudding.
First, choose the right apple. We highly recommend Jonagold, Jonathan, Pink Lady, and Macoun varieties—all produce a sauce with a pleasing balance of tart and sweet. Second, don't peel the apples; cooking the skin with the fruit further boosts flavor. Once the apples have been cooked—along with a modest amount of sugar, a pinch of salt, and water—pass them through a food mill for a smooth, thick, almost silky texture.
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