Apples are delicious and healthy and come fall, we see an abundance of them. Today we will study some easy ways to use apples in case you have excess.
1. Tips to keep apple slices white
Apple slices turn brown rather quickly. So if you aren’t planning to use them up immediately, you can dip them in a bit of lemon juice first and store them in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Alternatives to this anti-browning remedy are: ascorbic acid crystals, Vitamin C pills and citric acid.
2. Dehydrated apples
Use dehydrated apple chips in place of potato chips for a healthier snacking option. Peel and core the apples and place the slices on dehydrator trays. Dehydrate them at 120 F for 8-12 hours. Vacuum pack them in storage bags.
3. Apple crisps
Rehydrate apples in water and drain. Place them in a baking dish and add butter mixed with brown sugar, cinnamon, oats and crumble on top of apples. Bake at 350 F until golden brown.
4. Make apple sauce
The easiest way to use apples when you have excess is to make applesauce that you can use all year round. Here is a basic recipe:
- 8-10 apples of any variety
- ¾ cup cider or water
Wash, peel, quarter and core the apples. Add a bit of grated quince for its aroma. Leave out the cinnamon and sugar for now. Place all apples in a heavy bottomed pan and add an inch of water or cider. Simmer until the fruit is tender. Add more liquid if necessary. Use a whisk or blender to mash the fruit. Give the sauce a taste. Add sweetener as desired. Return the sauce to heat and heat up for a few more minutes. If the taste is bland, add some lemon juice. Remove from heat.
5. Honey dipped apples
Make a honey solution with ½ cup sugar, 1 ½ cups boiling water and mix well. Next add ½ cup honey. Stir well. Place apple slices in the solution for 10 minutes. Drain and enjoy.
6. Apple butter
Unlike applesauce, apple butter is thicker and has a mellow taste. Here is a recipe
- Apples
- 1 gallon of cider per pound of apples
Peel, core, and dice the apples. In a saucepan, place the apples and cover with cider. Simmer on low heat to prevent the butter from bubbling over or scorching. Add more cider if needed. Allow at least four hours for the recipe to develop full flavor.
7. Apple pie
Apple pie is an American favorite and the easiest way to use apples. There is no fixed recipe as each household has its special version. While we tend to think of apple pie as dessert, in many households, apple pie is a complete supper served with a glass of milk, day after day. Here are some delicious apple pie recipes.
8. DIY preservative free apple cider
Use a countertop juicer or blender for this recipe. (Ideally, you should use cider press that will grind and squeeze juice from resulting pulp). Start by first preparing the glass bottles for storing the cider. Core the apples and crush its slices in a food processor, blender or cider press. You can drink the juice by first pasteurizing it to 160 F. Store the juice in glass jars and refrigerate. For sweet cider, use fresh, unpasteurized juice. Let it ferment at about 72 F for 3-4 days. You will start seeing bubbles and sediment in the bottle. Extract the clear liquid from the sediment.
9. Canning apples
Use a boiling water bath canner and place sterile glass jars with double sealed rings and lids. Preheat water to at least 140 F and completely immerse the mason jars with the apples inside, in hot water. Cool completely. For complete apple canning process, click here.
10. Apple chutney
In a saucepan, mix apple slices with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, onion, sugar, vinegar and pepper. Boil for 30 minutes or until tender. Remove the onion and ginger pieces and store the chutney in refrigerator for up to a week. Use this delicious chutney in all your fall recipes.
You can also use apples to make an apple relish or enjoy them as is. After all; an apple a day does keep the doctor away!
