Cory Schreiber'S Applesauce - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 cups unsweetened apple juice
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (original recipe calls for 1/4 cup undiluted orange juice concentrate)
2 tablespoons sugar (can substitute agave, honey, etc.)
3 whole cloves
2 star anise pods
1 cinnamon stick
1/4 teaspoon fennel seed (crushed lightly in a pestle and mortar to release the oil)
3 large flavorful apples, such as Braeburn, McIntosh (or a combination of apples) or 3 large golden delicious apples, peeled, cored and chopped (or a combination)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation

In a medium saucepan, combine the apple juice, orange juice (concentrate), sugar, cloves, star anise, cinnamon and fennel.
Bring to a boil, immediately reduce heat, and simmer for approximately 20 minutes to reduce the liquid by half. Strain the liquid into a heatproof bowl to remove the spices.
Return the liquid to the pan and add the apples. Bring back to a boil then simmer for 15 minutes, or until the apples are tender.
Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Let cool.
In a food processor, process the applesauce until smooth.
Serve warm, or let cool and store in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
For long-term storage, pack into freezer containers leaving 1\" head space and freeze (for up to 12 months without the sauce suffering in quality).