Simple Applesauce

Name: Simple Applesauce
Yield: Serves 7 (Makes about 3 1/2 cups)
Cuisine: US & Canada
Ingredients: 4 pounds, apples (8 to 12 medium), unpeeled, cored, and cut into rough 1 1/2-inch pieces; 1/4 cup, granulated sugar; Pinch, table salt; 1 cup, water; 2 tablespoons, unsalted butter - stir into finished sauce; 3 inch, cinnamon sticks (2) -- cook with apples and remove prior to pureeing; 1/4 teaspoon, ground cinnamon - stir into finished sauce; 1 cup, cranberries (fresh or frozen) - cook and puree with apples; 4 , whole cloves - cook with apples and remove prior to serving; 1 1/2 inch piece, fresh ginger, sliced into three pieces and smashed - cook with apples and remove prior to pureeing; 1 teaspoon, lemon zest - cook and puree with apples; 2 tablespoons, lemon juice - stir into finished sauce; 2/3 cup, Red Hot candy - cook and puree with apples; 2 pieces, star anise (whole) - cook with apples and remove prior to serving

Side Dishes
US & Canada
Fruits & Vegetables
Fruit
Make Ahead
Quick
Sauces

Appears in Cook's Illustrated September/October 2002, America's Test Kitchen TV

Choose the right apple, don't peel it, and add nothing more than sugar and water. It's that simple.

SERVES 7 (Makes about 3 1/2 cups)

TIME 30 minutes

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