What is she talking about?? Part Two

So, applesauce.

I kept reading about applesauce in a lot of recipe books, and whilst I wanted to use it, I really didn't want to buy the damn stuff. Applesauce is one of the fabby vegan baking tricks. It's great as an egg replacement and oil/margarine replacement. Oh, and you can, you know, just eat it 'cos it's really yummy! I like to put a tablespoon on top of my muesli, or nice warm porridge.

To quote from the Garden of Vegan: "Add about 1/4 cup applesauce in place of an egg in sweet baked goods. It's a great binder but you might need to add a little extra baking powder (about 1/2 tsp) to help with the rising."

So I make batches of applesauce and freeze it - great way to use up any older apples you may have kicking about (since I've had restrictions put on the amount of fruit I can eat, I've got heaps of apples I don't get to use up before they start getting a bit old!)

It's incredibly easy - you just need to have some time under your belt. I tend to put this on the stove in the morning on a weekend, whilst I'm doing the weekend houswork. Just check up on it every now and then, give it a stir, and after a couple of hours, you have applesauce!!

Applesauce

Ingredients

Whole bunch o' apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 2cm square dice
Water to cover apples

Method

Bung the apples in a saucepan, and cover with water - they will all float to the surface, so don't go too crazy with the water. There'll probably be a need for more water as the cooking continues.

Put the saucepan on a medium low heat, and leave to bubble away whilst you do important things like consume coffee and do the washing up. Check on the apples regularly, and give them a stir. As they begin to break up, stir more often, as they can begin to stick. Add more water if the mix is getting stuck but the apples are not disintegrated.

When the applesauce reaches this point, take it off the heat. Let cool, and pack into airtight container/s. I like to freeze mine, and defrost as needed for baking/consuming.

Share and Enjoy!!