Warm Applesauce? In Summer? You Bet!
Last fall, when I moved from Florida to Pennsylvania, one of the most eagerly anticipated changes in my life was going to be the selection of farmers’ markets available in my new home state. As spring has turned to summer I’ve been discovering new markets and I swear I’m like a kid in a candy store when I walk into each one. I now have access to fruits and vegetables that were never previously available to me and I am having the time of my life enjoying this beautiful produce.
On my last foray, I happened upon baskets of pretty pale green apples, with a little hand written sign above them which only said, “Lodi Apples – First Apples of Summer”. Well, okey dokey. I kept on walking, went on to fill my basket with gorgeous fresh corn, strawberries, and other goodies, but kept thinking about those apples. A quick search on my phone told me they’re one of the earliest apples to show up in summer and that they are a cultivar that was introduced in 1924. That’s all fine and good, but here’s the description of their flavor and this is what really got me excited, “Raw Lodi apples are sharper, tarter, and more acidic than Granny Smith apples and have faint undertones of ginger, vanilla, and grapefruit.”
While I normally only start thinking about applesauce in autumn, I knew I had to make some with these apples. Whereas I typically add lemon juice or apple cider vinegar to my applesauce, I figured these apples would need no additional acidity and my curiosity got the best of me. So, I bought a basket, went home, and got to work.
I loved how crisp and pale they were when I sliced them open. And they’re not kidding about their taste being sharp. These apples are the tartest I have ever tasted. There was no doubt at all that this applesauce would need no additional acid. Never having cooked with these kinds of apples, I had no idea how much sugar they would need in order to balance out their flavor. Many times, I don’t add any sugar at all when I make applesauce, it being completely dependent on the type of apples I use. I played around and found that for 3 1/2 pounds of these apples, I needed a half cup of sugar. See what I mean about how tart they are?
Applesauce is super easy to make. Cook the apples, add seasoning, mash them up, and you’re done. I wasn’t going to be eating this applesauce cold. I served it as a warm side dish for a pork tenderloin dinner. So, even though I had to add sugar, I still wanted it to have a savory element. I stirred in a couple tablespoons of butter as it cooked, along with the sugar and a big pinch of salt. These particular apples cooked down quickly – 30 minutes from beginning to end. When I tasted the finished product, I was absolutely delighted with a superb and profoundly flavored applesauce. A little cream stirred in at the end mellowed it out, and a tiny bit of rose water enhanced the floral aspects of the flavor. Not enough rose water to even be discerned, but only enough to amplify the apple flavor.
As you can see in the main photo, I added a pat of butter when I served it, along with some black pepper, for good measure. Well, we all loved it so much, I had to go back and buy another load of apples so that I could photograph it and share it with you. But here’s the thing about this recipe, you can make it with any kind of apple. This is how I make all my applesauce that I serve warm. The difference in the exact ingredients will be determined by the kinds of apples you use. Some require little or no sugar, or perhaps a little brown sugar, others will taste flat if you don’t add acid, such as lemon juice or apple cider vinegar. It’s not hard to figure out what it needs. Your tastebuds will let you know. If I’m going to serve it cold, I don’t add butter, but I do love to add a little cream to both my hot and cold versions. And I always stir in a tiny bit of rose water at the very end.
So, a new tradition has begun for me. The first early apples of summer will now mean a pot of creamy warm applesauce. No need to wait for fall. These unexpected, but delightful, discoveries continue to convince me that this move has been one of the best decisions of my life.
Creamy Warm Applesauce
6-8
servingsApples are cooked with butter, sugar, cream, and a tiny bit of rose water. It's really that simple. And you'll end up with some of the best applesauce you've ever eaten.
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Ingredients
3 1/2 pounds Lodi apples, peeled, cored, and cut into approximately 1 1/2 inch chunks
100 g (1/2 cup) granulated sugar
Large pinch kosher salt
2 tablespoons salted butter, plus more for serving
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon rose water
Black pepper
Directions
- In a large pot or brasier combine the apples, sugar, and salt. Place over medium heat. Once the pot has heated up, stir in the butter and put on the lid to the pan. Cook for 15 minutes, stir, and cook for another 15 minutes with the lid still on the pot, adjusting the heat to prevent it from scorching. The apples should be fully softened and break up easily when stirred. Add the heavy cream and stir well. Remove from the heat and stir in the rose water.
- Spoon into a serving bowl, add a pat of butter and sprinkle with black pepper. Serve and Enjoy!
4 Responses
My sister lived in Lancaster PA. I loved visiting her because of the farm stands and the meat and produce unreal. I do live in IA now and we have great stands here. Now have bought scrapple yet? You must get some and the slice it fry it till crispy on the outside. I put syrup on it. Scrapple cannot be found in IA.
Yes, the farm stands are really superb here, as is a local dairy from which I now get my milk. It’s the best milk I’ve ever tasted. I’ve still got a lot of exploring to do. As to scrapple, I’ve had it, but not recently. It was regularly available in my grocery store back in Florida. I’ll definitely look for it here, as I wasn’t much of a fan of the scrapple I’ve previously tried. Thanks for reminding me, Carlotta!
I loved this post! Applesauce made from scratch is just so yummy. I have never tried Lodi apples. Northern Spy were always my favorite for making lots and lots of sauce to freeze for winter. I haven’t done it in years but you’ve got me thinking…
There’s no comparison between the stuff you can buy and a homemade version, is there? Northern Spy is a very good choice. I just happened upon these Lodis and couldn’t be happier, but there are tons of great apples out there. I hope you make a big ole batch, Cynthia. Thank you!