Grown-Up Applesauce
Recipe from Fine Cooking Magazine

Vanilla bean and a splash of brandy lift this elegant sauce out of the realm of nursery food. Delicious warm or at room temperature, it's great as a snack on its own, and it makes a nice filling for a blind-baked pastry shell or for crepes. Spoon leftovers over French toast. I like to make this sauce with Macouns, or a blend of mostly Braeburns with one or two Golden Delicious.


Grown-Up Applesauce

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Servings: Yields about 1 quart.
Related Categories: Apples, Desserts, Fruit, Quick and Easy Snacks, Seasonal, Summer, Winter
 
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Ingredients
  • 8 
    apples, peeled, cored and cut into chunks (roughly about 1 inch each)
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  • 3  tablespoons
    unsalted butter
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  • 3  tablespoons
    water
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  • 1/2 
    vanilla bean, split lengthwise
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  • 3 to 4  tablespoons
    granulated sugar
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  • 1 to 2  tablespoons
    brandy
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Directions
1.
Put the apples, butter, and water in a heavy saucepan. Tuck the vanilla bean in among the apples, cover the pan, set it over medium heat, and simmer until the apples are completely tender and have cooked to a rough puree, stirring them gently from time to time, 20 to 25 minutes. Add the sugar, stir, and continue cooking uncovered for a few minutes to let the sugar dissolve. Taste the sauce for sweetness; it should be tart-sweet (this is grown-up applesauce, after all), but if you want it sweeter, add more sugar. Stir in the brandy and simmer a few minutes more to cook off a little of the alcohol. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool. I like to leave the vanilla bean in the applesauce to steep; remove it before serving.

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