I've been experimenting with draining applesauce and here's what I've found.
The stuff in jars and cans that I find at the store is already pretty
watery. If I use it, I can only substitute it for half the fat.
But when I make my own applesauce, I not only save calories, I have a rich
concoction that leaves stuff behind when you drain it.
I make my own by corring three pounds of green apples and sticking them in a
crockpot overnight. It seems unnecessary to peel them when I can ad more
fiber to baked goods by leaving the peel.
I drain the applesauce with my yogurt cheese gizmo the next day. Takes it
about eight hours to drain a cupful. Three pounds of aples makes about five
cups of sauce after it is drained.
The drained stuff is about 150 calories a cup if you figure the apples are
about 15 calories per ounce.
This drained sauce can be substituted for all the fat in a baked good. I've
tried muffins and cornbread so far. I simply used a standard 1950s recipe
that called for a lot of shortening and substituted the same amount of the
drained applesauce. The cornbread was especially good, less dry than usual.
The leftover applesauce was spread on the cornbread for eating. It also
makes a good spread for waffles, though some people will want to add a
sweetener.
--Debee