Vanilla-Bean Applesauce
I know people say this about a lot of homemade foods, but in this case, it’s absolutely true: Homemade applesauce is infinitely better than store-bought, and it’s definitely worth the (very minimal) effort. And don’t think of applesauce as just a baking ingredient or as a food only for babies and young children. Although my kids love it, I’ve been enjoying it this fall just as much as they have, swirling it into yogurt and topping it with granola (as in these Apple Crisp Yogurt Parfaits), or simply eating it off a spoon when I need a little something to take the edge off my late-afternoon hunger.
There are dozens of ways to make applesauce, and although I’m sure the Internet doesn’t need another applesauce recipe, I’m sharing mine here if for no other reason than it works perfectly in the Apple Cider Donut Cake recipe above. I keep it pretty simple: local McIntosh apples (for classic applesauce flavor), lemon juice (not for lemon flavor, but just to “wake up” the apple flavor a little bit), and a hint of cinnamon. But then I turn up the volume with a whole vanilla bean, and it really makes this applesauce worth writing about. I don’t add any sweetener, as in-season apples really don’t need any, but feel free to add a bit of maple syrup or other sweetener to taste if your apples are less sweet than you’d like. (If using the applesauce solely for baking, however, I’d recommend keeping it unsweetened.)
And if you’re just here for the cake, this recipe will leave you with plenty of applesauce even after making the cake, so feel free to scale the recipe back as your apple supply and applesauce cravings dictate. But keep in mind that the applesauce freezes beautifully, so you can make a full batch and preserve that signature taste of fall just a little bit longer.
Yield: about 6 cups
VEGAN, GLUTEN-FREE
There are dozens of ways to make applesauce, and although I’m sure the Internet doesn’t need another applesauce recipe, I’m sharing mine here if for no other reason than it works perfectly in the Apple Cider Donut Cake recipe above. I keep it pretty simple: local McIntosh apples (for classic applesauce flavor), lemon juice (not for lemon flavor, but just to “wake up” the apple flavor a little bit), and a hint of cinnamon. But then I turn up the volume with a whole vanilla bean, and it really makes this applesauce worth writing about. I don’t add any sweetener, as in-season apples really don’t need any, but feel free to add a bit of maple syrup or other sweetener to taste if your apples are less sweet than you’d like. (If using the applesauce solely for baking, however, I’d recommend keeping it unsweetened.)
And if you’re just here for the cake, this recipe will leave you with plenty of applesauce even after making the cake, so feel free to scale the recipe back as your apple supply and applesauce cravings dictate. But keep in mind that the applesauce freezes beautifully, so you can make a full batch and preserve that signature taste of fall just a little bit longer.
Yield: about 6 cups
VEGAN, GLUTEN-FREE
Author: Wholesome Family Kitchen
Ingredients
- • 4 pounds of apples (about 8 large or 10 medium apples), peeled, cored, and cut into chunks/wedges, about 8 pieces per apple (I use McIntosh apples for that classic applesauce flavor, but feel free to use whatever apples you’d like, either a single variety or a mix of varieties. Keep in mind, though, that some varieties are more applesauce-friendly than others. If you’d like some guidance, this is a helpful place to start.)
- • 1 cup water
- • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- • 1 vanilla bean (or 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract)
Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven or other large heavy pot, combine the apples, water, lemon juice, and cinnamon. With a sharp paring knife, split the vanilla bean lengthwise, scrape the seeds into the pot, and add the pod. Set the pot on the stove and bring to a boil over high heat. Then turn the heat down to low, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the apples are very soft, cooked through, and starting to fall apart, about 15 to 20 minutes. (McIntosh apples tend to cook down more quickly than other apple varieties, so if you’re using another variety, they might take a little longer to cook down. If the apples start to stick to the bottom of the pot at all and are in danger of scorching, add a splash more water. When I can mash the apples easily against the side of the pot with a fork, then I know they’re ready.)
- Remove the pan from the heat and let the apples cool slightly. Fish out and discard the vanilla bean pod. At this point, you have several options: If you want a chunky applesauce, simply mash the apples with a potato masher to their desired consistency. If you want a smooth applesauce (if you’re using the applesauce for baking, then you do indeed want a smooth sauce), you can purée the apple mixture a few different ways, depending on what tools you have in your kitchen and how many dishes you want to dirty: Either purée the apples right in the pot with an immersion blender; press the apples through a food mill or a wire sieve; or transfer the mixture to a blender or food processor and let the machine do the work. (If you use a standing blender, purée the apples in small batches and don’t fill the blender jar more than halfway, especially if the apples are still warm, or too much steam could build up and you might end up with a mess on your hands. Or so I’ve been told.)
- Serve the applesauce right away, or let it cool completely before storing. The applesauce will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 5 to 7 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. (If you freeze it, be sure to allow about an inch of headroom in your containers for expansion.) I like to freeze the applesauce in small (2-cup) containers, so when we’re running low on homemade applesauce in the fridge, I take out a container from the freezer and let it thaw overnight in the fridge.
Recipe by Wholesome Family Kitchen at https://www.wholesomefamilykitchen.com/recipe-apple-cider-donut-cake-and-vanilla-bean-applesauce-autumn-new-england/