Stewed apples

During the cooler months, sweet, stewed apples with cinnamon become the ideal porridge topper, a fruity accompaniment to a bowl of Greek yoghurt, and a delicious dessert when served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. This versatile recipe makes great use for apples during winter. 

How to make stewed apples: key tips

When you’re stewing apples, you want to make sure they’re soft but still maintain their shape – which is about the 8-minute mark for simmering Granny Smith apples. When you’re adding the sugar and cinnamon to your stewed apples, be sure to stir gently so you don’t accidentally mash or break up the apples too much. Then, you’ll caramelise the apples a little. This usually means 2 minutes more on a gentle simmer (which thickens the liquid and browns the sugar slightly). If you don’t eat the stewed apples right away, store the mixture in the fridge for up to 4 days. 

What goes into stewed apples?

Very little goes into our stewed apple recipe – in fact, there are only 4 ingredients. We use Granny Smith apples (but you can try with other cooking apples, if you like), a little lemon juice, caster sugar, and a sprinkling of cinnamon for that lovely, aromatic apple-pie scent. Keep in mind, if you use other varieties of apples, cooking times may vary.

For more cool weather cooking ideas, try these delicious apple desserts (from cakes to crumbles and clafoutis!). 

Recipe and images by recipe developer Greer Worsley