Reprinted with permission from Laurel Burleson, owner of Ugly Apple Cafe
Ingredients
5 pounds apples, cored (I leave the peels on). Mixed varieties are great, aim for about ⅓ to half of the apples be tart apples and dryer apples. Those apples will cook down faster. Juicy ones have more water and just take longer to reduce.
News with a little more humanity
WPR’s “Wisconsin Today” newsletter keeps you connected to the state you love without feeling overwhelmed. No paywall. No agenda. No corporate filter.
1 quart apple cider
1 cinnamon stick
Your choice of a few all spice berries, a bay leaf, some fresh ginger or fresh grated nutmeg (You can always add more ground spice at the end if you prefer, start with less because it will concentrate down)
Instructions
Chop the apples into one inch pieces and place into a sauce pot with a lid. Add the Apple cider and enough water to just barely cover the apples. Bring to a boil. Once boiling remove the lid and reduce heat to a simmer. Stir every few minutes until the apples are very broken down into a thick apple sauce. Remove the spices/bay leaf.
Transfer to a baking dish and place in the oven. Heat at 275 degrees and stir every 15-20 minutes. Depending on your apples this can take a few hours, it is ready when it is very thick and a dark brown/mahogany color and is fragrant like cooked apples, a little caramelized but not burnt.
At this point you can adjust the spices or sweetness by adding ground spices (a pinch at a time) or a small amount of honey or maple syrup. Allow to cool completely. Refrigerate for up to a week or freeze for up to a year in an airtight container.
