Thickening Apple sauce?

[fred the great]

Looking for guidance.

I bought a jar of imported apple sauce which when opened is far too thin and runny. One way apparently to thicken it is to reduce the moisture in it.

I guess therefore that I can heat it in the Microwave and stir it every 20 seconds or so until it achieves the desired thickness. And yes I would be using a suitable container and not the glass jar it came in

Does that sound OK to you experts?

[Mrs Pingu]

I would do it in a pan on the hob, personally. Better control and less chance of hot sticky explosion.

[lou boutin]

Ditto what Mrs P says.  Hot apple sauce explosions aren't nice

[Jaded]

<fnerk>

[fred the great]

Thanks guys but as a daily Microwave oven cook, there will be no explosions

[hellymedic]

Why buy apple sauce if you are a daily microwave cook?
Cut flesh off Bramley apple. (only peel if you're picky.)
Add one dessert spoon of sugar.
Zap till saucy.

[fred the great]

You're absolutely correct of course. I bought it not realising that it was so easy to make myself.

I only cook Western foods for myself and the microwave oven is often the easiest and quickest method especially with the large amount of information now available on the Web including one site specifically dedicated to Microwave Oven cooking.

[Biggsy]

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/QssGKx75wHI&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/QssGKx75wHI&rel=1</a>

[hubner]

Another method would be to add cornflour and water mixture.

[hellymedic]

Pls not to microwave anything with peel or shell intact.
Apple pieces are safe.
Whole apples/eggs/bananananas are not.

But  peeled bananananas zapped on full for 75s make a wholesome dessert. Serve with ice cream +/- chocolate sauce.
Sensitive men should not spectate zappage.

[fred the great]

Yes, that video has no value whatsoever except to demonstrate how  NOT to use a microwave oven

[fred the great]

Adding flour is certainly another method but I'm not looking to change the nature of the apple sauce but purely to make it thicker. Removing some of the moisture is all I need to do to  achieve that.

The last couple of days I have been rather busy otherwise it would have been done by now.

[fred the great]

Mission  accomplished.

Finally found some time to thicken the apple sauce. Poured the jar of very runny sauce into a microwave dish approximately twice the size, gradually heated it to boiling point or thereabouts, stiring every 30 seconds. Then another 3 minutes stiring every 30 seconds as it started to become thicker.

Interestingly the taste is tangier and more to my liking. The Microwave is still in one piece as there was never a chance of an explosion

25% of my apple sauce has disappeared as steam which surprised me

[hellymedic]

Apples are nearly 90% water IIRC.
25% reduction is not that surprising.
Obsessional label reader that I am compared water content (100 minus carb and fibre) percentage in three cranberry sauces: Sainsbury's Basics, Sainsbury's Taste the Difference and Ocean Spray. There's a LOT  of water in the Basics sauce...

[Hillbilly]

Speaking of thickening apple sauce, I am intrigued by Apple Butter.  Planning on making some later in the year, from the windfall in autumn.  Starting point is apple sauce, which is then thickened by slow, long cooking.

http://www.pickyourown.org/applebutter.htm