Real Recipes From Real Home Cooks ®

pear-applesauce with chai spices

Recipe by
C G
Vallèe du Willamette, OR

It's autumn and we have a bounty of locally grown, organic apples and pears on hand. I modified an apple cider recipe for this East Indian inspired combination.

yield 6 -8 (estimated)
prep time 20 Min
cook time 5 Hr
method Slow Cooker Crock Pot

Ingredients For pear-applesauce with chai spices

  • 3-4
    apples, scrubbed, peeled, seeded and cored
  • 3-4
    ripe pears, scrubbed,peeled, seeded and cored
  • 1 sm
    ripe banana, peeled
  • 1
    whole cinnamon stick
  • 1
    whole star anise
  • 1/2 Tbsp
    freshly grated ginger (or use about 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger)
  • 3-4
    cardamon pods
  • 2-3
    whole cloves
  • 3-4
    whole black peppercorns
  • 1/3 c
    dark brown sugar
  • 1/4 c
    water (you can sub white grape juice, pear juice, apple juice/cider, pineapple juice)
  • 1 Tbsp
    freshly squeezed lemon or orange juice
  • 1 tsp
    vanilla paste or vanilla extract
  • FLAVORED YOGURT TOPPING:
  • 2 Tbsp
    whole milk yogurt, drained
  • 1/4-1/2 tsp
    rosewater, to taste

How To Make pear-applesauce with chai spices

  • 1
    Place the peeled fruit in the Crock-pot.
  • 2
    Lightly crush the whole spices in a pestle and mortar then place the spices in a tea infuser (or you can use muslin cloth and tie up). Add to the Crock-pot.
  • 3
    Now add about 1/3 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup water (white grape juice, apple juice/cider or pineapple juice), 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract to the Crock-pot.
  • 4
    Cook on HIGH 1 hour then on LOW for about 3-4 hours until very soft.
  • 5
    *Remove* the cinnamon stick and whole spices. Use an immersion blender to puree the fruit or transfer to a blender or food processor and puree in batches to desired consistency. To serve: Eat and enjoy warm or cold. I like to add a dollop of plain yogurt with rosewater to my serving.
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT