5 ways to freeze apples at home

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In the beautiful autumn season, it's time to take care of something to please your family on winter evenings: fragrant tea with jam or a fragrant cake with slices of apples.

And more and more hostesses in this matter prefer freezing berries and fruits, because they will contain much more vitamins and useful microelements than in thermally processed fruits, that is, in the same jam or canned compote.

The advantages of freezing apples at home

Freezing berries at home is no longer a wonder, but not everyone freezes apples for the winter. But in vain, because this method of storage has significant advantages:

• Frozen fruits preserve vitamins and trace elements, and when cooking many useful substances are lost;
• Having made the harvesting, you will always be sure that the fruit has not been subjected to any chemical processing, which cannot be said about the same apples from the store, which look suspiciously “fresh” even when the new crop is sprinkled on the branches of the trees, and they are still on store shelves;
• You will greatly facilitate and accelerate the subsequent process of cooking your favorite dishes, as the fruit will be already prepared (washed, peeled and sliced).

Freezing rules

To successfully freeze fruit for the winter, you need to follow a few simple rules:

• withchoose fresh, ripe, dense and non-deformed fruits;
• before freezing, the apples must be washed and dried, as the undindered slices stick together during the freezing, and instead of neat and beautiful slices you will get one incomprehensible lump;
• frozen fruits should be folded in an airtight container or plastic bag how more densely (the denser they will be laid, the less moisture they will lose and, accordingly, the better they will retain their properties).

Before freezing at home, apples must be rinsed, the stem and core removed, cleaned (this is not necessary, later frozen segments can be cleaned) and cut into slices. The shape and size of the pieces (slices, circles or cubes) can be chosen at your discretion.

So, small cubes will occupy less space in the freezer and allow you to make more stocks.And apples cut into circles or slices will have a more aesthetic look and are perfect not only as a filling, but also for decorating pies and rolls.

An important role in the storage of such winter blanks is played by the temperature maintained by the freezer. The most suitable for freezing is -18ºС. In this case, frozen fruit will be stored for up to 1 year. At temperatures from 0 ºС to -8 ºС store apples, it decreases only to three months.

So that summer harvesting could delight you longer, follow some simple rules:

• Do not store frozen food for too long;
• sign the date of the freeze and the variety that was used;
• Keep fruit away from vegetables.

Frozen Slices

• Dry the prepared apples thoroughly on a towel;
• After that, carefully arrange the slices on a baking sheet, cutting board or a tray covered with cellophane wrap, so that the slices do not touch each other. The use of cellophane is not necessary in principle., however, it helps significantly to collect frozen slices (if you decide to do without it, then be sure to ensure that the surface on which you will spread the fruit is completely dry);
• put the slices out into the freezer for 2 to 3 hours;
• collect the frozen slices in bags or containers and store in the freezer.

This method of freezing allows you to store fruit 9 - 12 months.

Apples in syrup

• make sugar syrup by taking 3 parts of water for 2 parts of sugar;
• fill the prepared apples with syrup, while it should completely cover the slices (you can lightly press them with a lid or a plate);
• After 3 - 5 minutes, remove the slices and put them in a bag in a thin layer, send them to the freezer.

Such fruits are stored up to 12 months.

Sugar Freeze

• prepare apples and sugar, taking 2/3 cups of sugar for every 3 cups of fruit;
• put the fruits cut into slices and moistened in acidified water in a saucepan, sprinkling with sugar;
• mix fruit with sugar gently;
• Spread the mixture into bags or food containers and send it to the freezer.

These fruits are stored for up to 12 months.

Frozen applesauce

• washed apples peel, stem and core, cut into small pieces;
• put them in an aluminum or enameled pan and put on a small fire (sugar in this case is not needed);
• simmer fruit until mashed potatoes become thick enough;
• transfer the mashed potatoes into containers, and, tightly closing the lid, put them in the freezer.

Use the mashed potatoes you need to 9 - 12 months.

Whole Frozen Apples

• Dry well-washed fruits with a towel;
• do not cut the apples. If you want to use peeled fruits, put them in acidified water and dry them;
• neatly fold the fruit into a container, bag, or wrap with cling film;
• place in freezer for freezing and storage.

Store such billet should be no more than 6 months.

So, you have decided on how to freeze apples. And if you are not going to freeze them whole or prepare mashed potatoes, then you need to take care that they maintain their snow-white appearance and do not darken. To do this, it is important to follow a few rules:

• Prepare the fruit in small batches: do not immediately clear a lot of fruits so that they do not have time to darken until you cut into slices;
• Immediately put the sliced ​​slices into acidified water (5 g of citric acid are required for 1 l of water);
• salted water will be used instead of acidified water (30 g of salt is used for 4 liters of water), which will also help avoid oxidation and perfectly preserve the fruit.

What then cook from these apples?

From frozen apples you can cook a fairly large number of different dishes:

• If you have frozen whole fruits, they are well suited for baking both whole and halved (for piquancy add to them and stuffed with nuts, honey, cottage cheese or just sprinkle with sugar on top);
• apples in sugar are an excellent base for a sweet dessert, smoothie or cocktail;
• applesauce is used for filling pies, buns, as the first fruit food for babies or in the preparation of various sauces.It will also be a substitute for butter or jam in sweet sandwiches, and if you adore cooking marshmallow, marshmallow or sorbet, then mashed potatoes will help to make these sweets not only tasty, but also quick enough in cooking;
• if you add frozen berries (cherries, strawberries or raspberries) to apple slices, and take lemon juice for flavor, you will get excellent compote;
• apple slices can be used as a filling and decorating pies, charlottes, cakes, cupcakes and strudels. Appetizing and nourishing pancakes are obtained with such a filling.
• Frozen apples are not only a part of dessert or baking, but also an addition to savory dishes: baked duck stuffing or a component of a festive salad. Of them also get savory sauces for meat dishes.

To freeze apples is not at all difficult, as it seems at first glance. Having given a bit of time to this simple procedure, you will not only save a piece of summer, but you will use its gifts for the benefit of yourself and your family!