Making applesauce with fall apples is one of many opportunities for terrific, edible kitchen experiments with kids. Apples are not all the same, ask any apple lover. Some apples are good for sauces, becoming all soft and mushy. Some apples are good for baking, staying tart and crisp in pies.
Mixing different kinds of apples in applesauce makes a delicious experiment into the textures and flavors different apples.
My boys loves making applesauce with different apples and coming up with different levels of chunkiness, sweet and tartness depending on the apples they choose.
What you need:
- Two different kinds of apples (at least!)
- Water
- Vegetable peeler
- Cinnamon (optional)
What you do:
- Peel and core the apples.
- Chop the apples into 1/4 inch slices.
- Place the apples into a pot with just enough water to cover the bottom of the pot.
- Bring to a simmer and let cook until the apples begin to break down
- Add cinnamon to taste.
Hint: Choose apples with different characteristics to mix. For example, select a few McIntosh and Granny Smith for a sweet tart saucy applesauce with chunky feel.
McIntosh: The tender white flesh is crisp, sweet and juicy with a pleasant tanginess.
Granny Smith: This apple is sharp and tart. The flesh is firm enough to retain its shape when cooked.
Red Delicious: These apples are sweet, crisp and grainy. They lack a tart element and a rich apple flavor.
Honeycrisp: This apple has exceptionally crisp, juicy, sweet-as-honey flesh with just a hint of tartness.
