Autumn is here and apples are in abundance. Eating apples are sweet but don't store well, cooking apples store better but if you want to extend storage for months best way is to process them.
Homemade canned apple sauce is great way to preserve apples for long storage. It`s perfect way to start your day with delicious and healthy breakfast: applesauce with homemade granola, Weetabix or oats. It can be used in cooking as main ingredient or substitute for oil/butter in pies, cookies, muffins, cakes and breads.
This simple recipe is easy to make and you don't even need special canning jars although they will store for much longer. We recycle 720ml glass jars from canned pickles and beetroot that we buy from shop but as the lids are recycled they store only few months (only use lids that are not damaged in any way). You can also freeze the applesauce in bags, frozen or properly canned they will store for up to a year or more.
Ingredients (make 4x 720ml jars)
750ml water
2.5kg pealed & cored cooking apples
6 tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
Tip 1: use eating apples to add less or to leave out sugar completely
Tip 2: make different flavors by adding any of following: 2 bananas, 150g frozen forest fruit mix, 1 tbsp organic cocoa powder, chopped pears
Recipe:
1. Peal the skin, core and cut apples in to small cubes
2. Add water and apples into large pot and cook for about 30 min until the apples are tender and mushy (at this point you can add additional ingredients as bananas)
3. Add sugar and cinnamon and puree the mix with hand blender. If you use standing blender pour the mix back into pot and make sure its near boiling before filling the jars.
4. Fill the jars that have been sterilized and preheated in oven for 20 min on 80°C, close lids tight and turn up side down to slowly cool under kitchen towel. Tip 3: Use measuring jug and soup ladle to fill the jars without mess
5. Store in cool dark place in cupboard or pantry. Once opened store in fridge and use within 3 days.
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