Applesauce—Like Mom Makes

I cannot believe that it took me so long to make applesauce. I l-o-v-e it, and my mom, the queen of excellent homemade applesauce, makes it frequently—always having some on hand when I'm home for a visit. When M* and I were in Germany, M* was helping his sister make strained apples for her infant son when the familiar smell of warm apples caused a cartoon-like light bulb to appear over my head. "I too should make applesauce," I realized.

After our return to Cambridge, armed with instructions from my mom, I bought a number of large Bramley apples from the Cambridge Market Square. I thought they'd be good as I'd used them for baking, but they were quite tart. Yes, the applesauce had the right consistency and satisfied the craving, but I ended up adding more sugar and cinnamon than I liked, and then it still made me pucker a bit. M* was a fan of the tartness, but I found it too extreme. I know that, for me, the right apples, result in the addition of no or only small amounts of sugar.

Boiled Bramley apples (skin still on) being mushed through a strainer.
Bramley applesauce (Bramley apples, sugar, cinnamon)

A few days later I went back to the Market Square and eyed the apple selection from my favorite stand. My ideal choice would have been Macintosh, but I've yet to see them in the UK. I opted for a bag of Braeburns and headed home to begin batch two. The only disappointment with the Braeburns was that I wished I'd bought more. The applesauce was so friggin good, and I did not need to add any sugar.

I think I'm going to buy a lot of apples tomorrow and make an entire stockpot full of applesauce: it freezes really well.

Braeburn applesauce being reduced on the stove (Braeburn apples, cinnamon)

Mom's Applesauce

Just good apples

Cut them up into chunks, you can leave skin on for the vitamins, put enough water in bottom of pan to steam them, not to cover them up with water. Just cover pot and simmer til soft, then cool and mash through a strainer, add sweetener, some cinnamon, some nutmeg, if you have it, to taste.

My notes:
*You do have to spend a little time getting the soft apples through a strainer, but it's no more time than peeling the apples beforehand.
*Don't worry if you use too much water, if the applesauce is too thin after putting the apples and liquid through the strainer, just reduce on stove until desired consistency is reached.
*It may be strange to some, but I really like to eat cold applesauce with cottage cheese.