Roasted Applesauce

Ok yes. It's only August. Not even halfway through August yet. Not really *fresh* apple season yet - I know, I know! Bookmark this post for fall though; trust me, you want to!

Transparent apples are coming into season now however and earlier this week my Dad was given a whole lot of them. He asked me if I'd like to do something with them. A pie (hint hint) or something. Of course I said yes and after baking three little six inch pies absolutely crammed with apples, I still had six pounds left over.

I'd seen this roasted applesauce from Martha Stewart oh goodness, a while back now, and had bookmarked it to try this apple season. Thought I'd give it a trial test run with the remaining transparents, as I'd learned they do in fact make great pies and applesauce.

Well. Let's just put it this way. I doubt I'll be making applesauce in any other way, ever again. This recipe makes such a creamy, flavorful and rich applesauce! So good. And after digging around the interwebs, I learned that I could in fact can applesauce in a hot water bath so that it is shelf stable rather than taking up room in my freezer. Double win!

I had six pounds so I doubled the recipe and it turned out beautifully.

A note - if you do not own a food mill, simply chop the apples roughly as I did, then press through a large mesh strainer to remove seeds/peels/cores.

Here's the recipe:

Roasted Applesauce
Makes 8 - 1/2 cup servings
Martha Stewart

1/4 cup water
6 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
pinch coarse salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
3 pounds small assorted apples such as Gala, McIntosh or Fuji (about 10)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch nutmeg
pinch ground cloves

Preheat oven to 425F. Combine water, sugar, lemon juice and salt in a 9x13 dish.

Scatter butter pieces over the mixture and top with whole apples. Roast until apples are very soft, about 30 to 40 minutes.

Working in small batches, send the apple mixture through a food mill to remove peels and seeds.

Stir in spices. Serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled. Can be refrigerated in airtight container for up to 5 days.