For a long time, the main way to prepare apples for the winter was to cook dried fruits. The grandmothers in the villages cut apples into slices and dried them in the open sun or in an oven. Then they used dried apples to make jelly or compote. Their modern counterpart are chips made from apples. Very healthy and tasty, they will become a substitute for unhealthy potato chips, croutons or seeds.
Apples are a cheap and affordable product that you can buy at any time of the year. They are eaten fresh or baked, pies, muffins are prepared from them, juice is squeezed, and also used in the preparation of many meat dishes and sauces for them.
Apples are a valuable source of amino acids, vitamins and minerals. They are rich in vitamins A, C, E, K, PP, B vitamins. Apples contain valuable chlorogenic acid, tannins and fiber.
A large amount of hard-to-digest fiber contained in apples helps to cleanse the body of harmful toxins and normalizes the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.
Another valuable property of apples is that during the cooking process they lose only vitamin C, all other vitamins and minerals are completely preserved. Therefore, even the most fastidious gourmets can find an exquisite way to prepare this simple fruit.
Perhaps the most unusual way to make apples is with apple chips. You can buy them in the store, but it's much better to make your own at home. There are two options for their preparation: classic and with spices.
To prepare "classic" apple chips you will need:
- 2 large apples;
- 80 g of sugar;
- 250 ml of apple soda or plain soda water.
The apples must be washed well and the seed pod cut out. To do this, it is better to use a special knife for removing the core from the fruit. This will give the chips a perfect ring shape.
The apples are cut into thin slices using a knife or a special grater. In a small saucepan, mix the sugar and soda water, put it on the stove and let it boil. Cool the resulting syrup to room temperature. Place the sliced apples in a deep plate and pour over the cooled syrup and leave to soak for 10-15 minutes. Then place them in a colander and drain.
Place baking paper on a baking sheet and put apples in one layer. Place the apples in an oven preheated to 110 degrees. Thin rings will be ready in an hour, thicker rings will take more time - about 2 hours. After baking for 30 minutes, the chips must be turned over. In general, you need to look at the apples themselves, if they are slightly darkened, then they should be turned over so that they do not burn.
You need to turn the apples very quickly, because when dry, they stick to baking paper. You should not tear them off, you must return the baking sheet to the oven for a couple of minutes, and then turn the chips over.
To make apple chips with spices, you need to take:
- whole, unpeeled apples with firm pulp;
- brown sugar - 100 gr;
- citric acid and cinnamon to taste.
Wash the apples and cut into slices no more than 2 mm thick. The core and skin do not need to be removed. In a bowl, combine sugar, cinnamon and a little citric acid. Dip the apples in the resulting mixture and put in one layer on a baking sheet so that the slices do not touch each other. Otherwise, they will stick together during cooking.
Preheat the oven to 110 degrees and place a baking sheet there. The cooking process will take about an hour, after about half an hour, the apples must be turned over. Remove the finished chips from the oven and let them cool until they become crispy.
Store apple chips wrapped in parchment paper in a cloth bag or glass container.
Apple chips are 100% natural, healthy and dietary product. They can be served as a quirky dessert or as a simple snack. Children will especially like them.
