Hard Cider Poached Apples Recipe
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What’s Up, Hungry People
I’m constantly looking for new things to sous vide. One thing I’ve never tried, however, was a sous vide dessert! I spotted a few apples on my countertop and immediately got the itch to experiment – and “poached” apples were the result.
A New Twist on Poaching Apples
Apples can be poached in a variety of liquids – from apple juice to hard cider. For this recipe, I used hard cider as my poaching liquid – as it turns out, a twelve-ounce beer is the perfect amount of liquid to “poach” two apples to perfection.
From there, the immersion circulator does the poaching for you – resulting in a perfectly tender and sweet apple. If you like, you can reduce the poaching liquid into a sauce and pour it over the poached apples. A little ice cream on top doesn’t hurt either!
Here’s What You Need
- Apples: Adds natural sweetness and a soft texture when poached.
- Hard cider: Infuses the apples with a tart and fruity flavor.
- Sugar: Sweetens the poaching liquid, contributing to a syrupy sauce.
- Cinnamon stick: Provides a warm, spicy note to the dish.
- Lemon juice: Brightens the flavors and balances the sweetness.
- Vanilla ice cream: Offers a creamy contrast to the warm, poached apples.
No Liquid Vacuum Sealer? No Problem!
If you don’t have a liquid vacuum sealer (I don’t), there’s a quick fix for that! First, put your apple, sugar, cinnamon stick, and poaching liquid into a sandwich baggie. I used a measuring cup to hold the bag steady as I filled it up. As you seal up the bag, try to release as much air as possible.
Then, put THAT bag into your vacuum baggie and seal it. If done correctly, the vacuum will remove all the air surrounding the baggie sealed with liquid. This way, none of the liquid seeps out of the baggie and into your vacuum!
Let’s Cook
First up, let’s get that immersion circulator ready. Grab a pot, fill it with water, and set your circulator to 175°F. Give it a little time to heat up the water to the right temp. It’s all about patience here!
Packing the Ingredients
Next, let’s tackle the packing. Take each apple and place it into a baggie. Now, divide your hard cider, demerara sugar, and add a cinnamon stick into each bag. If you’re using lemon juice, splash a tablespoon into each bag as well. Seal the baggie tightly, squeezing out as much air as you can as you go. This step is crucial for a good poach.
Vacuum Sealing Made Easy
Once your apples are snug in their baggies, it’s time to vacuum seal them. Place each filled baggie into a vacuum seal bag. This might sound tricky, but it’s simple: the goal is to get all the air out, so your apples poach evenly without any of the baggie’s contents escaping.
The Sous Vide Magic
Now, for the fun part! Drop those sealed bags into your preheated water bath. Make sure they’re fully submerged and not floating around – that’s key. Let them float around in there for about an hour.
Finishing Touches
After an hour, take out the apples with a slotted spoon, and keep that precious poaching liquid. Let the apples cool off a bit while you simmer the liquid in a saucepan until it thickens into a syrup.
Ready to Serve
Finally, slice the apples in half, scoop out the seeds, and get rid of any stems. Place them beautifully in a bowl, top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and drizzle that delicious syrup right over the top. Grab a spoon and dig in! Enjoy the fruits of your labor – literally.
Tips for Perfect Sous Vide Poached Apples
- Choosing the Right Apples: Select apples that are firm and have a good balance of sweet and tart flavors, like Honeycrisp or Granny Smith. These varieties hold up well during cooking and deliver a consistent texture.
- Sealing the Bags Properly: Ensure that all air is expelled from the bags before sealing to prevent floating during sous vide cooking. This helps in cooking the apples evenly and prevents them from being undercooked.
- Vacuum Sealing Without a Sealer: If you don’t have a vacuum sealer, you can use the water displacement method. Simply submerge the filled and zipped bag in water, letting the pressure push air out before sealing the top.
- Adjusting Poaching Time: If you prefer a firmer texture to your apples, reduce the sous vide time slightly. Keep in mind that different apple varieties may require adjustments in cooking time.
- Serving Suggestions: Serve the poached apples with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of the reduced poaching liquid. For a festive touch, sprinkle a bit of ground cinnamon or nutmeg on top before serving.
Wrapping up, this sous vide approach to poaching apples really simplifies what might seem like a fancy technique into something anyone can do at home. The end result is tender, flavor-packed apples that nearly melt in your mouth, perfectly complemented by that rich, homemade syrup. And don’t forget that scoop of vanilla ice cream on top! It ties everything together with its creamy sweetness. Whether you’re new to sous vide cooking or looking for a new recipe to test out, these cinnamon poached apples offer a satisfying treat without the fuss. So grab your immersion circulator and get cooking!
Cinnamon Poached Apples | Sous Vide Recipes
Equipment
- plastic baggies
Ingredients
- 2 apples
- 12 oz hard cider
- ½ cup demerara sugar or can sub brown sugar
- 2 cinnamon sticks or can sub 1/8 tsp cinnamon per bag
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- vanilla ice cream for serving
Instructions
- Prep the immersion circulator in a pot of water. Set the temperature to 175°F and allow the water to preheat.
- Place one apple, 6 oz of hard cider (dividing the cider evenly between the two bags), 1/4 cup of demerara sugar, and one cinnamon stick into each bag. Add one tablespoon of lemon juice to each bag. Seal the bags tightly, pressing out as much air as possible.
- Insert the filled bags into individual vacuum seal bags. Use a vacuum sealer to remove as much air as possible from around the apples.
- Submerge the vacuum-sealed apples in the preheated sous vide bath. Add additional water if needed to ensure the apples are fully submerged. Sous vide the apples for one hour.
- Using a slotted spoon, carefully remove the apples from the bags, preserving the poaching liquid. Set the apples aside to cool.
- Transfer the reserved poaching liquid to a saucepan. Simmer over high heat for about 10 minutes, or until the liquid reduces to a syrupy consistency.
- Cut the apples in half and remove the seeds with a melon baller or spoon. Discard the seeds and any stems.
- Serve the halved apples in a shallow bowl, topped with vanilla ice cream. Drizzle the reduced syrup over the ice cream and apples.