Description

Apples cooked down with brown sugar, butter, bourbon, and vanilla, until soft and silky and mashable – everything good about homemade applesauce but more sophisticated.

Ingredients

Scale

10 medium to large baking apples
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup bourbon
2 Tbsp. vanilla bean paste (see note below for other options, including vanilla extract and whole vanilla beans)
3 Tbsp. butter
Large pinch of salt

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Instructions

Peel, core, and slice the apples into 1/4″ slices. No need to be exact here, but know that the smaller you cut them, the more quickly they will cook.
Heat a large, heavy pot with a cover (like a dutch oven) over medium heat. Add the apple slices, then all other ingredients. Stir together. Cook, covered and stirring occasionally, until everything is soft and silky, at least 30 minutes. Feel free to use your stirring implement to help mash and break up some of the apple slices. You want the mixture to bubble softly as it cooks, and if it looks like things are drying out too much, feel free to add some water (you can always cook it off later if you end up adding unnecessarily). It should take about an hour for everything to come together, but it’s mainly a matter of taste and how soft you want your apple pieces. If you want everything really smooth you can run it through a food mill or blender.
Let cool before storing. Can be refrigerated for up to one week, frozen for up to 6 months.

Notes

Vanilla bean paste is a sugar solution made from scraped out vanilla beans, and is a much easier alternative to using a vanilla bean. Nielsen-Massey sells the most commonly available version, which is available at many gourmet stores. If you don’t have paste you can use two actual vanilla beans, cut lengthwise and insides scraped into the pot. Include the beans themselves as well, making sure to remove them or avoid them while eating the applesauce. They will continue to add flavor as the applesauce sits in the refrigerator. Or, use one vanilla bean and 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract. Or, use 2 Tbsp. vanilla extract, but the flavor will not be as strong.

Prep Time: 30 mins
Cook Time: 30 mins