Caramel Spice Applesauce and Lemon Ginger Applesauce

It isn’t so hard to make you own applesauce, and the flavor is exponentially superior.

Lemon ginger applesauce is a wholesome mix of apples, ginger, lemon and a bit of honey. The bright lively flavor of this applesauce is an antidote to the heaviness of fried food. The famous tummy soothing properties of ginger mean that this applesauce will make you feel a bit better if you over indulge in latkes.

The other applesauce is comparatively a rich treat, with buttery caramel flavor.

Caramel Spice Applesauce

2 1/2 – 3lbs. McIntosh apples, peeled, cored, chopped (if the apples are small, it will be about 8-12 apples; if you are using large apples, you might need just six)
1/2 cup cider, apple juice or water
1/2 cup sugar
2-4 Tbl. butter
juice half lemon (at least 2 Tbl., plus more to taste)
1 tsp. vanilla
1/8 tsp. cinnamon, or more to taste
1/8 tsp. salt

Put chopped apples and water or juice in a medium saucepan and simmer until the apples disintegrate, stirring regularly.

When the apples are softened and started to turn to mush, start making the caramel. Add the sugar and about 4 Tbl. of water to a small pot (enough water to dissolve the sugar). Cover and heat the pot over medium heat, checking often. The sugar and water should turn to a bubbling syrup.  When the syrup gets foamy, uncover the pot and continue to cook until the sugar syrup starts to turn color. It will go from a straw color to a light gold to a copper color. When it starts to turn color, have the butter and the applesauce nearby. When the color starts to go from light gold to copper, turn off the heat, add the butter and a few spoonfuls of applesauce and stir to dissolve. Use a long spoon and stand back, because the caramel with foam and can splatter. Dump the caramel into the pot of applesauce and stir well to dissolve.

Add lemon juice, salt, vanilla and cinnamon to the applesauce. Adjust seasonings to taste.

Lemon Ginger Applesauce
2 1/2 – 3lbs. McIntosh apples, peeled, cored, chopped (if the apples are small, it will be about 8-12 apples; if you are using large apples, you might need just six)
1/2 cup cider, apple juice, water or lemon ginger tea (I like the Yogi lemon ginger tea)
2 Tbl. honey
1 Tbl. minced crystallized ginger (1 ounce)
juice half lemon, or to taste
1/8 tsp. cinnamon, or to taste

Put chopped apples, ginger, honey and lemon ginger tea (or juice or even just water) in a medium saucepan and simmer until the apples disintegrate, stirring regularly. Add lemon and cinnamon, adjusting seasoning to taste.

Welcome to our first ever Hanukkah Blog Party, hosted by Leah of Cook Kosher and Miriam of Overtime Cook. It’s traditional on Hanukkah to eat fried treats, most notably donuts and latkes, and we’ve got a fabulous array of Hanukkah themed recipes, treats and crafts from Jewish bloggers all over the world! Scroll down for links to all of the delicious treats. 

 

To help get everyone into party mode, we have a bunch of fabulous new cookbooks to giveaway! Leave a comment on this post for your chance to win one of:

 

2 copies of Susie Fishbein’s new Kosher By Design Cooking Coach (sponsored by Artscroll)

2 copies of Leah Schapira’s  Fresh and Easy Kosher Cooking (sponsored by Artscroll) 

2 copies of Esther Deutch’s CHIC Made Simple (sponsored by the author)

 

Giveaway ends at 11:59 PM on Sunday, December 16th. Limit one entry per person per blog, so visit the other blogs for extra chances to win! 

Prizes can only be shipped within the US. Entries must be accompanied by a valid email address in order to qualify.

How to enter: Leave a comment on this post

This is the second of many fabulous Holiday Blog Parties. If you would like to be added to the mailing list to participate in future parties, please email holidayblogparties@gmail.com

 

Stop by the other blogs and check out these Chanukah Themed Recipes:

Latkes:

Jamie from Joy of Kosher made Zucchini Latkes with Tzatziki

Daniel from Peikes Cookbook made Potato and Fennel Latkes Fried in Duck Fat With Chinese Five Spice Apple Sauce

Susan from The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen made Squash and Potato Latkes

Samantha from The Little Ferraro Kitchen made Ruby Red Beet Latkes with Cumin

Nechamah from TIforOA Food Ideas made Healthy Oatmeal Latkes

Liz from The Lemon Bowl made Traditional Potato Latkes

Yosef from This American Bite made Latkes & Brisket on Rye

Melanie from From Fast Food to Fresh Food made (I Can’t Believe They’re Crispy!) Baked Latkes

Laura from Mother Would Know made Three Variations of Sweet and Savory Latkes

Sarah from Crispy Bits and Burnt Ends made Kimchee Latkes

Shulie from Food Wanderings made Baked Panko Sweet Potato Leek Latkes

Donuts and Desserts: 

Miriam from Overtime Cook made Shortcut Cannoli with Chocolate Mousse Filling

Leah from Cook Kosher made 5 Minute Donuts

Estee from The Kosher Scoop made Tropical Fruit Fritters

Melinda from Kitchen-Tested made Sweet Steamed Buns

Amy from What Jew Wanna Eat made Homemade Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Gelt

Avidan from Baking It Up As I Go Along made Orange Olive Oil Cake

Tali from More Quiche Please made Glazed Chocolate Donut Holes

Amital from Organized Jewish Home made Mom’s Sour Cream Sugar Cookies

Princess Lea from The Frumanista made Túrógombóc

Stephanie and Jessica from The Kosher Foodies made Beignets

Gigi from Gigi’s Kitchen made Bunuelos: Mini Powdered Cheese Donuts 

Esther from Esther O Designs made Edible Menorahs

Patti from No Bacon Here made Hanukkah Oreo Balls

Shoshana from Couldn’t Be Parve made Churros con Chocolate

Shaindy from My Happily Hectic Life made Inside Out Apple Crisp

Eve from Gluten Free Nosh made Gluten-Free Hanukkah Sugar Cookies

The Gluten Free maven made Gluten Free Vegan Cake Donuts

Amy from Baking and Mistaking made Mini Cream-Filled French Beignets

Sarah from Food, Words, Photos made Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

Victoria from Itsy Bitsy Balebusta made Pure Vanilla Donuts

Vicky and Ruth from May I Have That Recipe made Dulce de Leche and Eggnog cream filled mini sufganiot

Dena from Oh You Cook made Poached Pears in Pomegranate Sauce

Michele from Kosher Treif Cooking made Tiramisu Cheessecake

Sharon from FashionIsha made Sparkly Chanukah Cookies

Appetizers, Soups, Sauces, Drinks and other Hanukkah Food:

Laura from Pragmatic Attic made Caramel Spice Applesauce

Jessie from Bread and Butter made Honey Spiced Hanukkah Martini

G6 from Guess Who’s Coming 2 Dinner made Sweet Potato Leek Soup

Claire from I Love Soup made Sweet Potato, Coconut & Lemongrass Soup

Jennifer from Juanita’s Cocina made Kugel

Liz from Kosher Like Me made Ready, Stuff Roll!

Shelley from The Kosher Home made Hanukkah Crafts and Printables

Tags: applesauce, candied ginger, Caramel, caramel applesauce, Channukah, Chanuka, chanukah, ginger applesauce, hannukah, lemon