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Ivor's Pink Applesauce
© Tina Rupp

Ivor's Pink Applesauce

Contributed by and
  • ACTIVE:
  • TOTAL TIME: 30 MIN Plus 1 hr chilling
  • SERVINGS: Makes 1 quart
  • •HEALTHY
  • •MAKE-AHEAD

Ivor Simmons, Gail Simmons's father, rarely cooks, but each fall, he cans cinnamon-scented applesauce to eat during the year. Adding a few plums imparts a lovely rosy hue.

  1. 3 McIntosh apples (1 1/2 pounds), quartered and cored
  2. 3 Paula Red, Northern Spy or Empire apples (1 1/2 pounds), quartered and cored
  3. 3 black plums or large Italian prune plums (10 ounces), halved and pitted
  4. 6 cups water
  5. 1/3 cup sugar
  6. 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  7. 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  8. Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
  1. In a large saucepan, cover the apples and the plums with the water and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook over low heat until the apples and plums break down, about 5 minutes. Drain the fruit in a fine sieve set over a bowl; reserve 2 tablespoons of the cooking liquid in a small bowl. Using a wooden spoon, press the fruit through the sieve into the bowl to make a fine puree. Discard the skins.
  2. In a large saucepan, combine the apple-plum puree with the sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon and nutmeg. Simmer the puree over moderately low heat, stirring frequently, until the sugar dissolves, about 3 minutes. Stir in the reserved 2 tablespoons of cooking liquid. Scrape the applesauce into a bowl, cover and refrigerate for 1 hour, until chilled.
Make Ahead The applesauce can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months; thaw in the refrigerator before serving.