Not Just Plain Applesauce

• 6 apples, peeled and sliced
• 3 ripe pears, peeled and sliced
• splash apple cider
• 2 cardamom pods
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• few gratings nutmeg
• 2 pinches cloves
• 1 pinch salt
• splash maple syrup
• 1 Meyer lemon, juiced
• half splash Calvados
• small pat butter

1. Put fruit into medium saucepan with cider to prevent sticking before the fruit starts to heat and become juicy. You can use water instead of cider and use all apples (apples and quince are also a nice combination but the quince needs to be pre cooked). Start cooking over medium heat.
2. Crush the cardamom pods in a mortar and pestle. Throw away the husks and crush the seeds. Stir into the fruit mixture. Add all the other ingredients except butter. Taste to be sure it's the right balance of flavors for your taste and the fruit mix. You can experiment with different sweeteners, spice mixtures and citrus juices.
3. When the sauce is soft and mashable, mash with a potato masher until the consistency is to your liking (I prefer a few lumps). Stir in a small lump of butter off the heat. It softens and silkens the flavors. Serve it up and enjoy!

apples, apple cider, cardamom pods, cinnamon, gratings nutmeg, cloves, salt, maple syrup, lemon, calvados, butter

Taken from food52.com/recipes/9334-not-just-plain-applesauce (may not work)