Applesauce Meringue Adopted Food

THE BEST HOMEMADE APPLESAUCE

Steps:

• Combine the apples, sugar, 1 cup water and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large pot. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and cook until the apples are very soft, 18 to 20 minutes.
• Stir in the lemon juice and cinnamon. Let cool for 5 minutes or so, then transfer the apple mixture to a blender, filling no more than halfway. Remove the center cap from the lid and place it on the blender. Cover the lid with a folded kitchen towel to catch splatters and pulse until smooth. Alternatively, puree in the pan with an immersion blender.
• Transfer the applesauce to a bowl and refrigerate until cool, about 1 hour. Store leftover applesauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

APPLESAUCE MERINGUE (ADOPTED)

Steps:

• Grated rind of 1 Lemon.
• Preheat oven to 300 deg F.
• Combine applesauce, lemon juice and rind.
• Beat in egg yolks and pour into baking dish.
• In separate bowl, beat egg whites until peaks form.
• Gradually add sugar while continuing to beat.
• Add vanilla.
• Mix approximately 1/4 of meringue thru applesauce and spoon remaining meringue on top.
• Bake 15 minutes.
• Good hot or cold.

PINK APPLESAUCE MERINGUE TART WITH HAZELNUT COOKIE CRUST

Steps:

• Make applesauce filling:
• Quarter and core apples (do not peel). In a 5-quart saucepan simmer apples, uncovered, with remaining filling ingredients 2 hours, or until mixture is reduced to about 3 3/4 cups. (Stir mixture frequently during last 30 minutes of cooking to prevent scorching.) Force mixture through a food mill fitted with coarse disk or a medium-mesh sieve into a bowl, discarding solids, and chill. Applesauce may be made up to 3 days ahead and chilled, covered.
• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Make cookie crust:
• In a food processor grind hazelnuts fine with sugar, flour, and salt. Add butter and pulse mixture well. Add yolk mixture, 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing after each addition, and pulse mixture until it forms a dough. Press dough onto bottom and up side of a 10-inch tart pan with a removable fluted rim. Bake crust in middle of oven 25 minutes, or until browned lightly, and cool in pan on a rack. Crust may be made 3 days ahead and kept, covered, in a cool dry place.
• Spread applesauce onto crust.
• Preheat oven to 450°F.
• Make meringue:
• In a bowl with an electric mixer beat egg whites with a pinch salt until they hold soft peaks. Add sugar gradually, beating whites until they hold stiff peaks.
• Transfer meringue to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch star tip and pipe some in a lattice pattern over filling. Pipe remaining meringue onto edge of tart to make a decorative border.
• Bake tart in middle of oven 10 minutes, or until meringue is golden, and chill 30 minutes or up to 3 hours.
• To toast and skin hazelnuts:
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• In a baking pan toast hazelnuts in one layer in oven 10 to 15 minutes, or until colored lightly, and skins blister. Wrap nuts in a kitchen towel and let steam 1 minute. Rub nuts in towel to remove as much of skins as possible and cool.