Recipe: Baked Apple Sauce

from What’s Cooking America

 

Baked Apple Sauce

Yields: 2 cups
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min

Ingredients:

3 or 4 Macintosh apples, peeled, cored, and sliced into quarters
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
2 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 large or 2 small lemons, juiced
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 cup roasted natural raw walnuts, shelled (optional)
1/4 cup golden raisins (optional)

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a bowl, mix together the cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla extract, lemon juice, and honey; set aside.

In a large re-sealable plastic bag, place the apple quarters. Add the spice/honey mixture, reseal the bag, and shake to thoroughly coat the apples. NOTE: To enhance the flavor, you may marinate for several hours in the refrigerator or you may proceed "as is."

Place the coated apple quarters on a baking pan or cookie sheet.

Bake for approximately 30 to 40 minutes or until tender. The tip of a knife should easily pierce the apple slice. When done, remove the apples from the oven and place in a bowl.

Using a potato masher or pronged fork, gently mash the apples to desired texture of either a chunky or a smooth sauce (your choice).

If desired, add the optional roasted walnuts and raisins. See below on how to roast walnuts.

Makes approximately 2 cups.

Toasting Walnuts:

• Place whole or half natural raw walnuts on a cookie sheet and roast for approximately 5 minutes or until lightly toasted.
• Remove from oven and allow to cool.
• When the walnuts are cool enough to handle, place on a sheet of wax paper. Using a mallet or the side of a can, roll over walnuts to crush them into small pieces; set aside.

 

---