Fresh, Easy and Elegant (Recipe: Cinnamon Brown Sugar Applesauce – Bonus Appetizer Recipe Included!)

Think the words fresh, easy and elegant can’t possibly coexist, much less apply to applesauce? It’s time to think again…

Confession: until I made my own, I would have never used the words elegant and applesauce in the same sentence. Pork chops and applesauce perhaps, but never elegant and applesauce. Why?

Applesauce is inherently a comfort food, soothing and pleasing bite after luscious bite. But as you’ll see, it is surprisingly simple to turn applesauce up a notch and create a delicious appetizer that is as fun to make and serve as it is attractive and tasty to eat!

Made using store-bought, mini fillo (phyllo) shells, Cinnamon Brown Sugar Applesauce Bites are the perfect way to brighten up the morning for friends and family or guests of a bed & breakfast inn. Try setting a plateful out with early-service coffee or serving alongside your usual breakfast fare—you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how quickly these refreshing appetizers disappear, especially when served as a first course.

But don’t limit these bite-size snacks to breakfast, brunch or even afternoon tea, Cinnamon Brown Sugar Applesauce Bites will make a terrific snack when you are in need of a sweet dessert, but would prefer something light and fruit-filled over heavier, traditional cakes or chocolates.

Supernaturally good, Cinnamon Brown Sugar Applesauce is as versatile as it is comforting. Use it to: top pancakes, spread on biscuits or toast, add to your favorite pastry to create applesauce filled turnovers, hide a dab in the middle of your favorite muffin batter to create an applesauce surprise, or think outside the box and use it to top grilled pork chops and chicken in place of a sweet mango chutney or other fruit relish this spring and summer.

Most surprising, is how easy homemade Cinnamon Brown Sugar Applesauce is to make. Simply gather your favorite apples (a mixture of tart & sweet work well), a 2-quart baking dish, brown and white sugars, a touch of cinnamon and a bit of pure vanilla extract. In about an hour, you’ll have applesauce worth bragging about!

Cinnamon Brown Sugar Applesauce

(recipe from InnCuisine.com, adapted from Taste of Home’s Low Fat Country Cooking)

• 4 medium to large apples, a mixture of tart to sweet (I like to use a combination of Granny Smith & Honeycrisp)
• 3 tablespoon packed brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons granulated white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven or toaster oven to 350 degrees F for baking. Spray a 2-quart baking dish with non-sticking cooking spray.

Peel, core and slice 4 apples; slices should be uniform in thickness, about 1/4-inch thick. In a small bowl, mix brown sugar, white sugar and ground cinnamon, combining well. Add vanilla extract to sugars and cinnamon, mixing with a fork until well blended. Layer apple slices in prepared baking dish; top evenly with sugars, cinnamon and vanilla mixture.

Cover with lid or aluminum foil and bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven for approximately 1 hour or until apples are soft. Once apples are tender, remove baking dish from oven and mash with the tines of a fork to create the desired texture of applesauce (you can make it chunky or smooth). Any extra juices from baking the apples will blend in to the applesauce, so there’s no need to drain before mashing. Serve warm, at room temperature or cover airtight and store in the refrigerator until needed.

Yield: approximately 1 cup or 4 servings.

Cinnamon Brown Sugar Applesauce Bites

(from InnCuisine.com)

• approximately 1/2  to 2/3 of the Cinnamon Brown Sugar Applesauce from above
• 1 package (15 count) pre-made mini fillo (phyllo) shells (find in the frozen section of your local grocery)

Preheat oven or toaster oven to 350 degrees F. Fill mini fillo shells with Cinnamon Brown Sugar Applesauce and place on baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven for approximately 5 minutes. Remove from oven. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Yield: 15 applesauce bites.

Enjoy!

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Tagged as: appetizer recipes, apple dessert recipes, apple recipes, applesauce appetizer recipe, applesauce recipes, breakfast brunch appetizers, cinnamon brown sugar applesauce recipe, fruit based appetizer recipes, how to make your own applesauce, mini fillo phyllo shell appetizer recipes