Who doesn't like to eat applesauce? Besides having a very delicious taste, apples are also one of the types of fruit that are always available throughout the year so they are delicious to eat in any condition. Basically, the quality of homemade applesauce will only last for 1-2 weeks after it's made. Don't worry though, you can always store applesauce in the freezer to increase its shelf life!
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Method 1 of 2: Storing Applesauce in the Freezer
Step 1. Chill the sauce in the refrigerator
Pour the applesauce into a bowl or flat plate, then cover the container and place in the refrigerator. Allow the sauce to cool completely, about 1 hour or a full day, depending on the amount of sauce refrigerated. Once the sauce has cooled completely, remove the bowl from the refrigerator.
To make sure the applesauce is cool enough, dip a spoon into the center of the bowl and scoop out some of the applesauce. If the temperature is already cold to the touch, please remove the bowl from the refrigerator
Step 2. Pour the applesauce into a freezer-safe container
To increase the shelf life of sauces, we recommend using containers specifically intended for storing food in the freezer, such as glass jars or plastic clip bags. They will not affect the taste or quality of the applesauce, so they are safe to use.
Step 3. Remove as much air as possible from the container, if you are using a clip-on plastic bag
Press down on the plastic bag clip to get as much air out of it as possible. The thinner the bag, the easier it is to store the sauce in the freezer.
Step 4. Leave about 2.5 cm of free space between the surface of the sauce and the mouth of the container, if you are using a hard-textured container
As you freeze, the applesauce will harden and stick to the edges of the container. As a result, if there's no free space between the sauce and the lid, you're more likely to have a hard time opening the lid when you want to eat applesauce. Therefore, do not forget to leave an empty space of at least 2.5 cm.
Step 5. Close and label the container
After the applesauce is poured into the container, close the container tightly, then label the surface with the date the sauce was stored and the brand of sauce or the type of ingredients used to make the sauce.
Step 6. Store applesauce in the freezer for up to 2 months
Leave enough space in the freezer to store the container of applesauce. Generally, frozen applesauce can last for a maximum of 2 months, although some homemade products will still be delicious to eat even if they are stored for a longer time.
Step 7. Soften the applesauce before eating
If softened in the refrigerator, the applesauce should last for the next 3-4 days. However, if softened in the microwave or soaked in water, applesauce goes stale very easily and should be used up immediately.
Method 2 of 2: Making Homemade Applesauce
Step 1. Peel the apple and remove the core
Peel the skin of the apple with the help of a knife or vegetable peeler. If any of the pulp gets cut off, set it aside in a bowl for later use. If the apple you are using contains seeds, feel free to take the seeds by hand and throw them away.
Basically, you can use different types of apples to make applesauce. However, understand that imported apple varieties such as McIntosh, Golden Delicious, Fuji, and Cortland will result in more traditional sauce flavors
Step 2. Cut the apple into two equal parts
With the help of a very sharp knife, cut the apple in the middle. Although it really depends on your cooking preferences, apples can actually be cut into two or four equal parts.
Step 3. Remove the core of the apple
In the center of the apple, you should find an area that is slightly darker in color than the surrounding flesh, or an area with seeds. This is the core part of the apple that must be removed before the flesh is processed into sauce. To make the process easier, simply scoop out the core of the apple with a spoon, then immediately cut off the top and bottom ends of the apple before turning it into a sauce.
If you wish, you can also remove the part before the apple is cut using a knife or a tool specifically designed for extracting the core of the apple
Step 4. Cut the apples
Remember, the size of the apple slices will determine the length of cooking you need, as well as the texture of the resulting applesauce. In particular, the smaller pieces cook faster and are able to produce a sauce that tends to be smoother in texture. Meanwhile, larger chunks take longer to cook and will result in a sauce with a denser texture. For a medium texture, try cutting apples to a thickness of 2.5 cm.
Step 5. Pour water into the pot and put the apples in it
Water can help turn the texture of apples into a paste, much like the texture of factory-made applesauce. For every 12 apples, pour water until it fills about 1.5-2.5 cm of the bottom of the pot. If the texture of the apple feels too dry, please increase the amount of water. However, be careful that too much water can actually make the sauce too runny and inconsistent in texture.
Don't forget to include the flesh that was cut off when you peeled the apple, if any
Step 6. Cook the apples over medium heat for about 1 hour, stirring constantly
Place the pot on the stove and cook the apples over medium heat. While the cooking time required depends largely on the size of the apple and the moisture content in it, most recipes should be completed within an hour. To prevent the sauce from burning, make sure you stir it periodically.
Step 7. Turn off the stove once the apple has softened
To check the texture of an apple, try poking it with a knife. If the tip of the knife can penetrate the apple flesh easily, please turn off the stove.
To be on the safe side, allow the applesauce to cool before moving on to the next step
Step 8. Mash or mash the apples, if necessary
If the addition of water is not enough to mash the apples, feel free to speed up the process with the help of kitchen utensils. If you want applesauce that still has some of the fruit in it, try crushing the apples with a potato masher, beater, fork, or similar. Meanwhile, if you want to produce a very fine textured applesauce, add the apples in a blender or food processor.
