Why freeze apples if they can be stored very well? In some cases, it can be practical. For which uses freezing is suitable and how to freeze apples, you can learn here.
Harvested fully ripe, apples are a delight. If you don’t have an ideal place to store the fruit, you can also freeze apples and turn them into mush later, for example. An English proverb says: “An apple a day, keeps the doctor away” – an apple a day keeps you healthy. Ideally, apples should be eaten fully ripe. But if the fall harvest has begun or your neighbors give you apples in abundance, there can suddenly be far too many to store them properly. In modern homes, storage options are also often limited and not ideal. That’s when the freezer comes into play.
In a nutshell: Can you freeze apples?
If you have no other ways to store apples, freezing may be an option. Freezing is a good idea if you plan to make the fruit into apple pie, sauce or compote later, rather than for eating raw. Never freeze whole apples. It is better to freeze the fruit in wedges or pieces. To prevent freezing together, pre-freeze apple wedges and then gently thaw them.
Freezing apples: When does it make sense?
Have you ever picked up dropped apples after a few nights of frost? The taste diminishes and the consistency changes. Apples do not tolerate frost. Some people wonder: Is it possible to freeze apples? In principle, it is possible. But ask yourself in advance what you intend to do with the apples. You can’t compare frozen food with biting into a crisp, fresh apple. Apples have a high-water content. After thawing, they quickly become mushy. Their aroma suffers. Whole apples should not be frozen. The fruit is too large to freeze through quickly. If, on the other hand, you freeze slices or pieces, you can use them for apple pie, compote or similar baking and cooking.
How do you freeze apple slices and pieces?
Before freezing apples, inspect the fruit for bruises or other damage. If you are using windfall fruit, be especially careful to cut out any bad spots. Wash the apples, remove the core when you cut them open, and cut the fruit into wedges or chunks. Whether you leave the skin on or portion the apple peeled is a matter of taste. Sliced apples will turn brown. Especially older varieties with a high phenolic content turn brown immediately. This is not a loss of quality. If you want to preserve the light color of the flesh, lemon helps. Simply dip the apple wedges in diluted lemon juice. The next trick prevents apple wedges from freezing together. This is useful if you want to top an apple pie with the wedges still frozen.
Place the apple pieces on a baking sheet lined with baking paper or in a container. The wedges should not be on top of each other. Pre-freeze the apple wedges in the freezer at maximum minus temperature for two and a half hours. In modern freezers there is a function of shock freezing for this purpose. Only then put the apple pieces into a freezer container. Do not forget to note the date and contents.
Do you have to pre-freeze apples for mush and compote as well?
If it is not important that the apple pieces remain handy, put the fruit pieces into a freezer bag or freezer box without pre-freezing them. This is ideal for applesauce or compote, for example. Apples that are to be made into compote later can be blanched briefly. If you add sugar and citric acid to the water, you will get the light color. A filling for the apple strudel is best prepared with sugar and cinnamon and frozen together. It is also only a small step more from the chopped apple pieces ready for freezing to the homemade applesauce. Like the finished apple pie, it can be frozen just fine.
Tip: Instead of freezing them, you can also preserve apples or make apple juice yourself and preserve the popular fruit for longer in this way.
