24-hour apples - please describe

[K8memphis]

Methinks, much adieu about glorified applesauce is not the finished product, aheh.

I think that my weight, after the apples sunk down, hit the sides of the apple pan and therefore it did not continue to weight the apples down after a while. But the plastic wrap did not stretch down lower either which also kept the weight off the shrunken apples. And my temperature must've been off too much. I used the warmer drawer - I should have used the lower setting on the warming drawer.

But I want to know what they're supposed to be like before I do this again. Bells are not ringing lights are not flashing - it's firm applesauce - I mean, so what?!

So what do yours come out like??

Thank you thank you thank you

[nightscotsman]

If you are talking about the Pierre Herme recipe for this, then I've made them several times. The type of apples you use are very important since only a few varieties will hold up under the extended cooking and not fall apart into sauce. I used granny smith apples and they seemed to work well. Golden delicious should also work as long as they are on the green side and not too old or ripe. The apples came out very soft and buttery while still being distinct slices, not a mush.

It's also important for the oven not to exceed the temperature stated in the recipe, so you may want to get out the oven thermometer to make sure.

[kthull]

I got the same results as Neil...it does work. Personally, I'd cut back on the orange zest, but that's just me.

[Patrick S]

I've made the twenty-hour apples twice. Just like Neil said, my "apples came out very soft and buttery while still being distinct slices, not a mush." The last bit I used to make a tart (the shell wasn't full because I ran out of apples). Nothing exotic, just super-soft and tasty apples.

[K8memphis]

Thank you Neil, Kevin & Patrick.

Yah, I made 'em like the recipe - wull, I didn't stray intentionally - gotta watch the temperature next time. I agree, too much orange zest - must be a French thing. I think I just don't care for it - it's screaming for cinnamon.

Yes I had the granny smith and I mean I actually have pretty much what y'all describe - it's not indistinct sauce really but too soft I guess - much browner than Patrick's (photography-boy :) oven too hot.

What about the weights??? Is that just to squish out a portion of the juice?? And then the plastic is supposed to keep it from squishing all the way down or something?? After the apples melted down the plastic suspended the weights anyway - did nothing in the refrigerator.

Did ya's get yours a sixteenth of an inch thin??? Mine were more like an eighth.

The good news I can totally rehabilitate with some cinnamon & caramel :) over ice cream sounds good.

[Patrick S]

I didn't use any orange zest, but I did use a little lemon juice.

I used ramekins as weights, and the plastic just held them suspended over the apples. So I adjusted the plastic about half-way through so that weights could sit on the apples. I think the rationale for the weights is to have the apples submerged in the juice so they can be better infused.

My apples weren't nearly as thin as 1/8" inch. More like 1", because I was using a small corningware dish.

[McDuff]

I've made these a couple of times. I think they need more sugar than Pierre suggests. Once they came out almost candied. The edges of the slices were heaven. But the second time they were mush. I'll have to try them in our new oven.