Fresh applesauce has no connection to the store-variety and there’s no need to use a pot. You can make your applesauce easily at home in the oven.
If you love anything with fresh, unadulterated fruit over Pesach, we know you’ve probably been a fan of this Pineapple-Sour Apple Compote and during the summertime, perhaps you’ve tried this refreshing Apricot Compote.
Now we’re here to say that there’s no need to use a pot to make your fresh applesauce or compote!
We’re making a double recipe here. Each pan will hold about 10 apples. Use a variety! This is a combination of Granny Smith and Honeycrisp. If you like it more tart, use more green, if you like it more sweet, choose the apples that taste great to you.
The only work will be peeling and chopping these apples.
There’s nothing like fresh.
You’ll need to rinse the peeled apples (you don’t need to dry, just add directly to the pan after rinsing).
We recommend using a deep 9×13 pan or the applesauce may bubble over (if you don’t have one available, put a baking sheet under to catch any drips).
There should be some space between the apples and the top of the pan.
The only thing we’re going to add is a teaspoon of cinnamon. That’s completely optional. We made one pan with cinnamon and one without. There’s no other ingredients! No sugar, nothing. You do not need to add any water, although there was a couple of spoons of water overall in the pan that was still left after rinsing all the apples.
1 ½ hours on 350℉ later…now the question…to blend or not to blend? Do you like it smooth or chunky style?
If you do choose to blend, it’s more efficient to transfer it to a deeper container.
Then use an immersion blender to blend until smooth.
Now it’s perfect.
Applesauce is not just for babies (but it’s also perfect for babies!). Enjoy it on matzah, with salmon, as dessert, or just as a healthy snack!
Serving Note: We blended the versions with just apples, but then made another version with plums that we left chunky. The plums adds some tanginess and is nice served with a scoop of ice cream.
Delicious! My sister-in-law taught me a trick for the perfect compote: not too tart and sweet enough even without sugar. Use 2-3 Cortland apples to 1 Golden Delicious. It is the perfect ratio!
cute, i always do that and i tell everyone. but i don’t think we are sisters in law 🙂
Enjoy!
Do you set the oven temp to 350°? The article didn’t specify. Thank you.
350℉, yes.
What temperature should this be cooked at?
350℉
Bake uncovered?
What other fruits/vegetables work this same way? My baby is only eating puréed at the moment and would like to give him as much as a variety as possible
Anything that you see in the baby jars will probably work here, although you may need a good blender to make sure it blends smoothly. You can use blueberry, plum, pear, carrot, strawberry, peas… anything that will get soft when you cook or bake it.
Even yummier with strawberries! Pre blended or straight in the pan.
I personally find it’s easier for me to skip the peeling and chopping, and instead wash a pot and this amazing gadget: https://amzn.to/4t8QFqz
Totally life-changing!
You literally wash and quarter the apples and then cook them (skins, seeds, and all) in a pot (although baking would prob work too), then put them through this mill. The skin/seeds stay on top and yummy applesauce comes out! Ofc this won’t work for those who only peel on pesach, but still a time-saver if you just peel vs core/chop.
Great job for kids they love turning the handle 🙂
I find washing this takes much faster than all that peeling, coring, and slicing.
Only downside is you can’t get chunky applesauce, only smooth (though you can choose the disc how fine you want it)
There are a bunch of options at amazon, all pretty similar
Can’t wait to try this!!! If we like sweet applesauce, what would be the right combination of apples?
Nostalgic moment- my grandmother used to put it through a sieve and just swish it around with the ladle to get it to go through. Was the perfect consistency! Hand blender gets it more silky smooth.
Hi.
Can this be frozen?
Thank you
Also, how long will it last in the refrigerator?
do you bake it open or closed?
please answer baked covered or uncovered
It shows in the picture the top foil of the pan, so covered tightly so the steam locks into the apples