applesauce / apple compote

Applesauce is one of the classics. These are stewed apples, possibly with some sweetener. Even though it can be used as a sauce, I usually serve this as a side dish.

The nice thing about sweeteners is that one needs not use sweet apples. The more primitive apple varieties are often sour, but they stew into a very nice chunky apple sauce and delicious jelly. Many modern apple varieties will become a mush without real texture.

 

Pic1: 2014-09-22 — store-bought applesauce served with rabbit
Pic2: 2020-05-08 — home-made chunky applesauce served with jambalaya

INGREDIENTS

This is what you need for 1 quart:

optional:

Directions

2020-05-08

Pic3: Fuji and Granny Smith apples
Pic4: core, peel, slice
Pic5: simmer with 1 cup of water

 

Pic6: simmer until soft
Pic7: mashing optional
Pic8: all done

Serving suggestions:

b. apple and mango compote

2019-11-22

Very easy to make. Delicious.

I used 2 Granny Smith apples, which are about the tartest apples you can buy at our local grocery store Peppers, but the mango added enough sweetness that I didn't need to add any sugar. This is not an apple that melts easily. After 90 minutes stewing, the apples were quite soft, but didn't melt like some varieties do. It didn't bother me a bit. I liked it.

If you don't like chunky. put a potato masher or stick blender in it to puree everything.

INGREDIENTS

This is what you need for 2 servings:

  • 2 Granny Smith apples, ripe
  • 1 large mango. ripe
  • salt
  • sugar / sucralose

optional:

    • orange / lime juice or peels
    • cinnamon powder or bark
    • sugar, white or brown
    • pears
    • ...
Pic9: apple and mango compote

Directions

2019-11-22

Pic10-12: stew apples and mango

c. apple, mango muffins

2019-11-22

Easy to make if you have access to sheets of puff pastry.

Pillsbury crescent rolls will work too if you can't get the real thing, not as good but workable and edible. I used them here, doubled up 2 halves of the package to make 4 large muffins.

I wrapped fresh apples and mango in crescent dough, slathered the top with pepper jam and baked it 30 minutes @ 350 ºF. That is more than double the recommended time for the 'crescents' but the filling considerably delays the cooking of the dough.

You can do this with compote as well, but a fairly dry and chunky compote will give better results than liquid applesauce.

 

2019-11-22

Pic13: crescent dough, apples, mango
Pic14: baked in a muffin tray
Pic15: the inside after baking.