Peel, core and cut the apples into smaller bite-sized pieces.
Place into a suitably sized pot or pan. Cover with a lid and stew on medium heat until the apples are softened.
If you are using whole spices instead of ground spices then remove them at this stage. You might find some liquid pooling in the pot depending on the variety of apple you used. Don’t worry. All will be cool.
Finally, you use an old fashioned potato masher to roughly mash up the apples. Once mashed and you still have too much liquid, just slowly simmer it a bit to evaporate some of that liquid. Do not throw any liquid away at any stage. It’s all flavour. We just need to evaporate some of the water so the falvour intensifies. Note that apple sauce thickens a bit when it cools down(there is pectin in apples, a naturally occurring starch that thickens when cooked and cooled down)
Once you are happy with the consistency, give it a taste and decide if you want a bit of lemon juice in there to balance it. If so, obviously add a bit.
Let it cool down and then store airtight in the fridge or freezer until needed.
Notes
For an extra delicious condiment for savoury dishes, smoke the apples before you cook them.
Can be made without spices.
Add butter for extra creaminess and luxury.
Store airtight in the fridge for up to 2 weeks and pretty much forever in the freezer.
For more variations and serving suggestions see post.