Applesauce - Made Easy

           We go through tons of applesauce in our house. Bean consumes at least 1 cup per day. He loves it. I don't mind making applesauce, but I've always made it in the oven and I find I don't always have the time to watch it and make sure it doesn't burn. I didn't have the time, until I found this new simple recipe. 


           Now, it takes a couple minutes to prepare the apples; I throw them into a slow-cooker (Crock-Pot) with a couple of cinnamon sticks and I'm set. A couple of hours later... warm, fresh, slightly-cinnamony applesauce emerges with no fussing or watching required.  


Just make sure to use a softer apple ie: Mcintosh, Macoun, Pink Lady, Jonagold and Rome make great applesauce. Don't use apples that hold their shape when baked ie: Granny Smith, Cortland, Honeycrisp, or Red Delicious.


Applesauce
adapted from America's Test Kitchen


Note: You can change this sauce by adding 1 cup of cranberries or a couple slices of fresh ginger instead of cinnamon sticks with the apples in the beginning. You can also make it rich and smooth with a little butter stirred into the finished sauce. I love recipes that change to individual tastes.


3 pounds apples; peeled, cored and cut into chunks
1 cup apple cider or apple juice
2 tablespoons sugar, more or less depending on sweetness of apples
2 cinnamon sticks (optional)
pinch of salt


Combine all ingredients in your slow-cooker or Crock-Pot. Cover and cook about 4 hours on low. I cooked mine a little longer than 3 hours, because my apple chunks were smaller. Make sure to cook it until the apples are really soft and beginning to disintegrate. (Test by stirring with a spoon once or twice.)


Remove the cinnamon sticks (if used) and mash apples by stirring quickly with a large spoon or using a potato masher. Taste and season with additional sugar if your sauce is too tart. You can adjust the consistency with warm apple cider or juice if your sauce is too thick. 


Serve this warm, at room temp or chilled.


Come join the fun at the My Baking Addiction and GoodLife Eats Holiday Recipe Swap sponsored by West Bend