Autumn is when apples are most abundant, but they’re a fruit for all seasons. So, freezing your apples not only presents limitless possibilities, but it will be a good way of ensuring that your apples are always fresh for the rest of the year. Furthermore, it lowers the time you’ll spend making recipes that involve apples.
So, how do you completely utilize your frozen apples?
When an apple is frozen, in the proper way, and under the right method, it’s safe to eat. Why? When an apple is frozen in your freezer, its taste, freshness, and most importantly, integrity is preserved. So much that it can last for a year!
There are different ways you can freeze your apples. It is either you store them raw or cooked, sliced or whole. You can also freeze the diced or sliced apples that you’re planning to use for fillings and sauces.
Moreover, there are a host of other ways and recipes your frozen apples can be used for, like applesauce, apple pie, bread, ice cream, pie fillings, and any other kind of pastries. All these also turn out perfect when frosted apples are used in their preparation.
Freezing apples might appear easy, but it is a tricky business if you don’t know the necessary handling and storage methods. This is because apples, like most perishable foods, are prone to freezer burns and discoloration. So you need to know the proper way to handle and store your apple.
How To Use Frozen Apples
Several recipes come in handy when you plan to use frozen apples regardless of the season. Frozen apples can be used in making juice or smoothies because the process of thawing gives them a tender texture.
Although applesauce and apple butter are the commonest uses of frozen apples, other delectables like jams, cakes, pies, ice cream, and any other kind of baked foods can be prepared with apple recipes.
Here are some regular uses of frosted apples you should definitely not miss out on.
Making Applesauce
One of the sauces that should never go missing In your pantry no matter the size is Applesauce. Your recipes will thank you for it whenever you use it.
Moreover, you can use it to make condiments and even in making pastries and desserts. Spices like cinnamon can greatly improve your applesauce flavor. The beauty of applesauce is that it can serve as a snack for your family or a visitor.
What’s more, your applesauce can be frozen to be used later in the future.
Any Kind of Pies
Pies are the commonest things that frozen apples are used for. It is a regular sight for apples to be added to pies, especially in Autumn. Mini-sized apple pies are usually favored because you can eat generous portions of them and not feel guilty about them.
Let me show you how to freeze your apples for subsequent pie making:
- To start, you have to prepare the apple pie fillings.
- Then go ahead and freeze the apple pie fillings so as to save you time when you’re eventually making the pie.
If you follow these methods judiciously, you can be sure that you will have apple pie fillings for plenty of other desserts.
How to Freeze the Filling of Apple Pie
If you want to properly freeze the fillings of your apple pie, use the steps below:
- First, peel your apples, then core the apples before slicing them.
- You can then go ahead and add spices, and sugar. Whichever you choose is good. Most people usually use cinnamon as a spice.
- Then proceed to cook the filling.
- When you’re done cooking, you have to mix the filling and pour it into a pan lined with aluminum foil.
- You might want to allow it to cool for some time before you freeze it.
- Transfer the cooked filling into an airtight container or freezer bag when it is already frozen.
Whenever you want to use your fillings, you should let them thaw in your refrigerator overnight.
Smoothies
Smoothies made from apples are the best drink any day, anytime, and if you’re very conscious about your health, then apple smoothies are the best way of enjoying apples.
Thawing makes the apple have a softer skin which is perfect when making your apple smoothies.
Furthermore, you can even add other fruits like pears, cherries, and strawberries. Most people also add bananas.
To spice it up, juice, oatmeal, and cinnamon can also be added to enhance the healthiness of the smoothie.
Ice Cream
Frozen apples can also be used for making ice creams and other kinds of frozen desserts. This makes sense and makes the ice cream easy to eat since every component of the ice cream will be cold.
It is important to note that you should first boil the apples, then you can freeze the cooked apples overnight before putting them in the ice cream. This is to help make it tender and reduce the time spent eating the ice cream.
Can Your Frozen Apples Last Long in The Freezer?
Frosted apples have a shelf life of 6 to 12 months, but cleaning the fruit very well and storing properly greatly enhances its shelf life. Even though freezing the apples will not change the taste, your apples might progressively lose their nutrients when it stays longer than a year.
So, it’s important to make use of it as soon as you can. It is advised to use your frosted apple within 3 to 6 months after it is frozen if you plan on making seasonal desserts with your frozen apple.
However, apples with depressed or broken skin should be used first to eliminate damage. Also, bruised apples should not be kept together with healthy apples. The use-first rule also applies to discolored apples, as their change in color makes them unsavory.
Preventing Apples From Turning Brown
The browning of apples is caused by a process known as oxidation. It happens when the enzymes of the apples are exposed to their surroundings. This is why already cut apples quickly discolor. To prevent this, you can:
- Put the apples in a saline solution. A quarter teaspoon of salt and around 2 full cups of warm water should give you the required brine solution. Don’t forget to rinse thoroughly before storing.
- Alternatively, you can place some slices of apple inside lemon juice. In this method, you should store the apple slices as soon as possible, to prevent them from re-browning.
- You can also allow your apple slices to soak in a lemon-lime soda for a few minutes, then drain and store.
Best Ways of Freezing Your Apples
There are several ways of freezing your apples and getting different results. But using the best ways, gives you the best result. The ideal temperature for your frozen apples is 0° Fahrenheit, and when you put your apples in airtight containers or storage bags, you help preserve the apples’ taste, color, and texture.
However, if you love for your frozen apples to stay longer in the freezer, go for small-sized apples and not the big ones.
Speaking of varieties, different apple varieties behave differently when frozen. It is why it’s important to know which Apple variety you are buying so you can know if you should freeze it or not.
The following varieties of apples are the best kinds of apples that you can freeze:
- Cortland
- Bramley
- Empire
- Golden delicious
- Jonagold
Aside from these varieties of apples, there are other varieties that, when properly stored, will stay long. So, be careful how you choose to store your apples.
For most Apple lovers, tray-freezing slices of apples are one way they use to freeze their apples and preserve them for longer than a few weeks or months.
Tray Freezing Apples
When I tray freeze my apples, I use the following methods to achieve impressive results. You can try it as well for the same results.
- You can start by slicing your apples into desired sizes depending on what you might need them for. In most cases, I peel the skin of my apples. In other cases, I don’t. Depends on what I need the apples for.
- Treat your apples with the method for preventing browning I explained earlier
- Place your sliced apples in a baking pan. Putting them in a straight line is better, solely for decorum and more space
- Then freeze the apples on the tray until they are frozen.
After your apple slices have frozen, you can go ahead and transfer them to airtight containers or freezer-safe bags. Remember, the air is no good for freezing apples.
You can also freeze any Apple that is cooked like apple filings and applesauce. But then you will have to store them in freezer-safe storage bags first.
And before freezing them, you’ll have to let them completely cool down before putting them into your freezer. It’s important to remember this, especially if you are going to be using containers made of glass instead of storage bags.
The beauty of these two is that when they are properly frozen, they can stay fresh for as long as a year. A wonder indeed.
Whole apples can be frozen like sliced apples. However, they are very tricky. So if you plan to freeze your apples whole, use the steps above, but do not peel the apple.
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