Cory Schreiber's Applesauce

Submitted by COOKGIRl

"This recipe can easily be made in larger batches for the freezer. This is from Portland chef and cookbook author Cory Schreiber’s wonderful cookbook, “Wildwood — Cooking from the Source in the Pacific Northwest.” If you have a good source for fresh, seasonal apples, consider making large batches of this wonderful sauce and storing in the freezer. And although this recipe produces a puree, the sauce can be left chunky by not putting it through a blender at the end of the cooking process. Happy first day of Autumn!"

 

• Ready In: 50mins
• Ingredients: 9
• Yields: 2 cups

ingredients

• 2 cups unsweetened apple juice
• 1⁄4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (original recipe calls for 1/4 cup undiluted orange juice concentrate)
• 2 tablespoons sugar (can substitute agave, honey, etc.)
• 3 whole cloves
• 2 star anise pods
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1⁄4 teaspoon fennel seed (crushed lightly in a pestle and mortar to release the oil)
• 3 large flavorful apples, such as Braeburn, McIntosh (or a combination of apples) or 3 large golden delicious apples, peeled, cored and chopped (or a combination)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract

directions

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the apple juice, orange juice (concentrate), sugar, cloves, star anise, cinnamon and fennel.
2. Bring to a boil, immediately reduce heat, and simmer for approximately 20 minutes to reduce the liquid by half. Strain the liquid into a heatproof bowl to remove the spices.
3. Return the liquid to the pan and add the apples. Bring back to a boil then simmer for 15 minutes, or until the apples are tender.
4. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Let cool.
5. In a food processor, process the applesauce until smooth.
6. Serve warm, or let cool and store in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
7. For long-term storage, pack into freezer containers leaving 1" head space and freeze (for up to 12 months without the sauce suffering in quality).

Reviews

[Hadice]

What is wrong with me?!? I should have doubled...no...tripled this recipe!<br/>At first I doubted the addition of fennel. Fennel in applesauce? But me oh my what a lovely accent to this healthy delight. I didn't have star anise but after looking online I found that fennel can be a sub. So, more fennel. I might ease up on the orange juice concentrate just a little bit, but other than that, this tasted marvelous. Almost like a spiced cider applesauce. My picky toddler loved it too! Great choice for October Veggie Swap '11