Blackberry Applesauce
Winter is prime slow-cooker season, am I right? It's the best time for those warm, cozy comfort foods. But the crock-pot isn't just a dinner tool – it can make some pretty great desserts too! At this point most of my readers (Hi, Mom!) know that I really love fruit, so it shouldn't come as a surprise that I'm making applesauce again.
Truthfully, I was planning on making applesauce simply because I had some apples that were about to get a bit wrinkly, but then Evan came home from the grocery store with a treat for me – blackberries! Leave it to a husband to buy the expensive fruit you usually feel too guilty to buy yourself. Since I've been meaning to try a different spin on this applesauce for a while, I decided to turn it into blackberry applesauce!
I'm the kind of person that appreciates tartness, so naturally I love berries, especially raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries. The tart flavor of berries pairs so well with the sweetness of baked-down apples, so they're commonly combined in pies as well. It was essentially a no-brainer when Evan came home with a box of blackberries that I'd be adding some of them to the applesauce. And although I'm not usually big on cinnamon with fruits other than apples, I decided to keep that in this recipe as well to give this a nice wintry feel. With that said, though, if you're feeling unsure about it you can always omit the cinnamon or cut the amount back! Like I explained in my first applesauce post a few months back, this recipe is really simple, so you should feel free to play around with it to make it your own!
BLACKBERRY APPLESAUCE
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Crockpot Time: ~2.5 hours
Makes 3 cups
Ingredients
4 medium apples*
1/4 cup brown sugar, not packed down
1 T lemon juice
1 t lemon zest
¾ t ground cinnamon
1 cup water
pinch of salt
½ cup blackberries
Directions
Peel, core, and cut the apples into about 1-inch cubes. Get as much of the skin off as you can, since this doesn't break down in the slow cooker.
Put the cubed apple into the slow cooker, along with the brown sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and cinnamon. Strictly speaking, the brown sugar is optional here, but I'm not on any kind of special diet so I always add it!
Pour the water over the top of the apple mixture, toss in a pinch of salt, and give it all a quick stir. Set your slow cooker on high for 2 hours, stirring every 30-60 minutes if possible. After 2 hours, add the berries, and turn it down to low or simmer (depending on your slow cooker) for 30 minutes more.
Once your applesauce is done, depending on the consistency you like best, give them a quick mash with a potato masher, or you could even use an immersion blender to make it extra smooth. It's all up to you based on your preferences (and what tools you have in the kitchen)! When cool, store in a glass or plastic container in your refrigerator for up to a week.
Happy Eating,
Natalie