Applesauce comes in handy for a great many recipes. You can spread it on your toast, add it to your smoothie or granola, or add it to your bakes. If you have kids, you probably go through lots of it every month or two. Good news is, you can actually make some at home and skip the store bought one, and you would still get to experience the same great taste. It is especially easy if you have a food processor. So, how should you make homemade applesauce in a good processor?
To make your own homemade applesauce in a food processor, you need to prepare the applesauce by cooking the apples and other ingredients in a pot, then proceed to process them in a food processor. You, however, need to be pretty careful to make sure that you do not end up with a puree instead of a sauce.
How to make applesauce at home
Before finishing off your applesauce in the food processor, you will need to make the applesauce in the first place. It is a pretty easy process that does not require too much work, and that does not call for too many ingredients.
Below is a step by step guide.
Step 1: Identify the apple varieties you intend to work with
The first thing you need to know about good quality applesauce is that, often times, multiple varieties of apple have been used to make it. Varying apple varieties have different qualities in taste, with some delivering more wetness, and others presenting pronounced tartness. The balance between these two tastes, as well as varying textures in apples, makes for tasty and richly flavored applesauce.
The best apples for applesauce include Pink Lady, Golden Delicious Apples, McIntosh Apples, Fuji Apples, Crispin Apples and Cortland Apples. You can have three or 4 varieties of these, or mix all six varieties.
Step 2: Clean and peel the apples
When you have bought or collected your apples, proceed to clean them thoroughly to rid them of possible contaminants such as dirt and debris, as well as pests and insects. You can use food grade detergent to get them clean.
Once they have been washed and rinsed thoroughly, go on and peel them. however, if you would like that extra tartness from the peels, and the texture they come with, you can leave them on. The skins are actually healthy, and keeping them on makes your sauce healthier.
Step 3: Chop and core the apples
When you have peeled them, chop them into quarters using a knife. Then, proceed to remove the core from each quarter, making sure not to leave any seeds behind.
Step 4: Assemble other ingredients
For a classic applesauce recipe, all you will need is the apples, a bit of water and some cinnamon. However, some people prefer to use apple juice instead of water, while yet others prefer to add sugar to their recipe to add sweetness. Go on and assemble them on your working table, along with a saucepan and wooden spatula.
Step 5: Cook your apples and other ingredients
Place your saucepan over a fire, or on your induction cooker and add the chopped apple wedges. Add the required amount of water or apple juice and allow them to come to a boil on medium heat. Proceed to add the sugar and cinnamon at this point. Be sure to cover the saucepan to keep the water or apple juice from escaping too soon. When you have added these ingredients, bring the heat down to a medium low and allow the apples to simmer another 20 to 30 minutes.
Preparing the food processor
Step 7: Cleaning your equipment
Before placing your cooked apples into the food processor, make sure that it is clean and that you do not have any food residue inside. Wash the pitcher and lid and dry them. When this is done, proceed to plug the food processor into a power source.
Step 8: Process your cooked apples in the food processor
When you have finished cleaning your food processor, it is time to make the applesauce. Proceed to add he cooked apples into the food processor, but make sure not to fill it to the brim. You can make it in batches to make sure that you do not end up with a huge mess in your kitchen.
Use the food processor to bring your cooked apples to a chunky consistency. However, if you like it smooth and almost puree-like, keep at it until you achieve the desired consistency. If you have two or more portions of cooked apples, you can make both chunky and smooth applesauce for different uses in your home.
Step 9: Pack and store for later use
When your applesauce is done and is completely cool, go on and store it. for this, you are going to need clean glad jars that have airtight lids. Scoop the applesauce into the jars and proceed to seal them tightly. You want to make sure that no air or moisture penetrates through as this could ruin your applesauce. Be sure to also store it in the fridge so it can last a while without going bad.
Can you use a blender in place of a food processor?
Yes, you can. A blender will work just as well as a food processor, but the truth is that, unless you have a large countertop blender, you will have to work much smaller portions than a food processor will accommodate.
How to make homemade applesauce in a food processor: Tabulated summary
Activity | Method |
|---|---|
Selecting and cleaning apples | Pick your chosen apple varieties, clean, peel, chop and core |
Cook the apples | Cook the apples and other ingredients over a fire util they are soft but still intact |
Prepare food processor | Clean, dry and connect to power source |
Make your applesauce | Process the cooked apples to desired consistency |
Store | Place in airtight jars and preserve in fridge |
Conclusion
Making applesauce using the available equipment in your home is pretty easy. It also does not take up too much time, and it also allows you to save on money. Most importantly, however, you get to create a taste and texture you like. Food processors are incredibly versatile in what they can do, and this is just another way they make sure you never run out of good stuff in your kitchen.
