Mary Berry Apple Sauce is a tart and refreshing condiment popular for its fluffy texture and ability to cut through the richness of roast pork. Ideally, the apples should be cooked with very little water to concentrate the flavor, relying on the steam to break them down into a purée.
Mary Berry Apple Sauce Ingredients
- 450g (1lb) cooking apples (Bramley apples are essential)
- 25g (1oz) butter
- 2 tbsp water
- 2–3 tbsp caster sugar (to taste)
- Squeeze of lemon juice (optional, to keep it white)
How To Make Mary Berry Apple Sauce
- Prepare the apples: Peel, quarter, and core the Bramley apples. Slice them into thick chunks.
- Steam the fruit: Place the apple chunks into a saucepan with the water and the butter. (Adding butter during cooking helps enrich the sauce and prevents it from foaming over).
- Cook down: Cover the pan with a lid and cook gently over low heat for about 10–15 minutes. Stir occasionally. The apples will collapse into a fluffy, soft pulp. Bramleys naturally fall apart, so you shouldn’t need to mash them much.
- Sweeten and finish: Once the apples are soft, remove the pan from the heat. Beat the mixture with a wooden spoon until it is smooth (or leave it slightly chunky if you prefer). Stir in the sugar gradually, tasting as you go until you reach your desired sweetness. Add a squeeze of lemon juice if you want to sharpen the flavor or keep the color bright.
- Serve: Serve warm with roast pork, or allow to cool and serve at room temperature.
Recipe Tips
- Why Bramley? Mary Berry insists on Bramley apples (cooking apples) because they have a high acidity and a texture that breaks down completely when cooked. Eating apples (like Granny Smith) will hold their shape and result in “stewed apple chunks” rather than a sauce.
- Sugar levels: The amount of sugar depends entirely on the tartness of your apples and your personal preference. Add it after cooking so you don’t over-sweeten it.
- Enriching: The addition of butter gives the sauce a lovely glossy sheen and a slightly richer mouthfeel than just boiled fruit.
- Storage: Apple sauce keeps very well. Make a double batch and freeze half for next time.
What To Serve With Mary Berry Apple Sauce
This sauce has one main partner, but works elsewhere too.
- Roast Pork: The definitive pairing; the acid cuts the fat.
- Pork Chops: A classic weeknight dinner addition.
- Sausages: Great with Lincolnshire or Cumberland sausages.
- Goose or Duck: A tart alternative to orange or cherry sauce.
How To Store Mary Berry Apple Sauce
- Refrigerate: Store in a covered container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
- Freeze: Freeze in small containers or ice cube trays for up to 6 months. Thaw at room temperature.
Mary Berry Apple Sauce Nutrition Facts
- Calories: 95kcal
- Protein: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fat: 3g
- Saturates: 2g
- Sugar: 16g
- Salt: 0g
Nutrition information is estimated per serving (approx. 3 tbsp).
FAQs
If you cannot find Bramleys, use the tartest apple you can find (like Granny Smith), but you may need to add a little more water and blitz the cooked apples with a blender to get a smooth sauce.
Yes, a pinch of cinnamon or cloves makes it festive, though traditional English apple sauce for pork is usually just apple, butter, and sugar.
Yes, this is essentially a sweetened apple purée. If using it for baking (to replace oil/eggs), omit the butter and reduce the sugar.
Try More Recipes:
Mary Berry Apple Sauce Recipe
Description
A traditional, fluffy apple sauce made with tart Bramley apples and a knob of butter, perfect for serving alongside roast pork.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Peel, core, and chop apples.
- Place in a pan with water and butter.
- Cover and simmer for 15 minutes until fluffy.
- Beat with a spoon until smooth.
- Stir in sugar to taste.
- Serve warm or cold.
Notes
- Cooking the apples with the butter helps prevent the mixture from bubbling over and creates a silky texture that water alone cannot achieve.
- Bramley apples are unique in that they fall apart into a “snow” texture when cooked; eating apples will require mechanical blending to achieve a similar sauce consistency.
- Be cautious with the water; adding too much will result in a runny sauce. The apples release their own juice as they break down.
