We were recently shopping for applesauce and gave it up in disgust when even the "natural" types were discovered to contain high fructose corn syrup. Plain applesauce without unnecessary sweeteners can be found, but it's so easy just to make your own.
Our preferred applesauce is homestyle and chunky, full of the flavor of dark brown sugar and lots and lots of cinnamon. This is great served warm or cold, or spooned over ice cream.
Use winter apples that have perhaps grown a little softer, a little sweeter, and you can reduce the sugar called for here. In fact, feel free to leave it out completely. The only essential parts of this recipe are the apples, lemon juice, and water.
D.I.Y. Applesauce
about 4 cups
5 large apples (about 3 pounds)
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 cinnamon sticks
1/2 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon brandy (optional)
Peel, core and cut up the apples. Put them in a large, heavy pan with the other ingredients and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer and cover tightly. Let simmer for about 30 minutes or until soft. If it's too watery, leave the lid off for a few minutes to let it reduce.
Remove the cinnamon sticks. If you want smooth applesauce, puree in a food processor or with an immersion blender. Otherwise, just mash with a fork.
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My favorite applesauce is chunky, too, but completely unsweetened, with just cinnamon and cloves and roughly mashed cooked apples (with the skin left on). Warm homemade applesauce is the very best comfort food around.
I agree with Lydia--with the right apples you don't need any sugar at all. I blogged about my favorite quicky applesauce recently (click name for link).
I don't use much sugar in my applesauce, either (a teaspoon or two maximum), I don't like the super sweetness. I also include the peel. I've had really good luck in the past with grating the peel off the apples with my microplane so that you don't get the big chewy pieces of peel, but then cooking them with everything else. It adds really nice color, too. Finally, I sometimes add a tablespoon of butter. Sort of unneccesary, but super tasty.
oh-- and I like using a variety of apples, it tastes better to me.
If you have a food mill, there's no need to peel or core them. Just cut them in half or in quarters, add a bit of water, and simmer until mushy. Pass through the mill and you're done. Sometimes I add a cinnamon stick to the water, but never any sugar.
what i love about such a simple method for making applesauce is that you can throw everything together in the pot before sitting down for dinner and it'll be perfect by the time you're ready for dessert.
i second the no sugar. skins on also often adds a lovely blush to the finished apple sauce. sometimes i throw in a piece of ginger too.
yum!
Homemade applesauce is sooo great served when its still warm. And EASY! All I (and my mom, my grandma, etc) do is peel and slice up some apples, put them in a pot with a lot of cinnamon, and cover. Cook over medium heat untill the smell makes your whole house smell delicious. Mix it up to break up the apples a bit, and there you go. Mmmmm. I've added nutmeg before, ginger also sounds good. I serve this rolled up in crepes for breakfast sometimes, and add raisins. I'm going to try what others have recommended about grating the peel and leaving that in too. Definitely don't use any sugar, fruit has natural sugar.
I am with ya there Lydia... no sugar for me! Delicous au naturel...
Mmm, now I want to make applesauce! I like slightly tart apples and I just grate them and cook them with cinnamon and they are lovely.
The simplest apple sauce is when you peel and core the apples, chop them into big chunks, put them in a pyrex bowl with no water and cover the bowl with plastic wrap in the microwave, and nuke them for 15 minutes. Voila: chunky apple sauce with no effort and no added anything.
While teaching the early grades, I learned the easiest, most hands-off, "make the entire room/house/school smell great" way to make applesauce was to cut the apples into small pieces (smaller = faster), add a little sugar & lemon juice & pop them into a slowcooker. Leave it on low and forget about it. My MIL does this all the time now to use up the apples from her apple trees 'cuz it takes no attention at all.
Sugar. I'll be adding the sugar. Probably add it on top of each of my servings. (I like the crunch)
And it'll taste like my mother's