ROASTED SPICED APPLESAUCE

Steps:

• You will also require: 8-12 mason jars with lids (depending on the sizes you choose) and most likely vanilla ice cream or frozen yogourt mmmm Preheat oven to 425 degrees F Peel & core apples & cut into chunks about 1" X 1" in size. Place into a large bowl filled with cold water and lemon juice (about 1/2 a lemon's worth of juice per 8 apples) In a large roasting pan (I sometimes split into two small roasting pans), add the apple cider or juice, honey, brown sugar, lemon juice, spices & salt. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean pod in as well and whisk all ingredients to combine. Toss the apples until they are coated with mixture. Cut vanilla pod lengthwise down the spine and place one piece on each side of the roasting pan and place in oven. Roast until the apples are very soft (about 45 minutes). NOTE: I prefer to have some chunks left in my applesauce, so I roast until the corners of the chunks are still in tact when you mash them. If you prefer smooth applesauce, roast a little longer than that. Remove from oven and let cool for about 10-15 minutes. Use a form to mash apples until you have reached your desired consistency. At this point you can serve the applesauce hot if you wish. Let applesauce cool completely before spooning into your chosen storage vessels (I really like to use small, jam sized jars with lids as they are easy and elegant to give as gifts). For presentation's sake, I add one of the vanilla bean pod halves to the jars standing straight up on the side of the jar. This sauce keeps in the refridgerator for about a week and can be frozen as it thaws nicely. TIP: Depending on the type of apple you use, after roasting there may be a lot of liquid in the pan. Since I prefer a chunky applesauce, I usually drain the liquid into a pot and heat over medium until the liquid reduces into a thick sauce that can be poured over ice cream, yogourt or even used in other recipes (granola, baked goods, etc).