Freezing apples is not difficult, but useful, therefore, many housewives in the late summer - early fall are engaged in such harvesting. To please relatives with the taste of summer in winter, it is important to know which fruits are suitable for such storage, as well as some secrets of the preparatory process. This is what will be discussed in the article.

How are frozen apples healthy?

Apples, in fact, are not just fruits, but whole vitamin-mineral complexes.

Important! In winter, they are replaced by frozen preparations in which up to 90% of vitamins are stored, which is several times more than in canned or dried fruits.

In their composition:

• Vitamin C, which strengthens the immune system (which is especially important in the cold to protect against colds);
• volatile or natural antibiotics. Under their influence, pathogens of infections and viruses in the human body die;
• malic acid and tannins, which stop the fermentation processes in the intestine and contribute to its natural cleansing;
• iron with high bioavailability, due to which apples are recognized as an effective tool in the fight against anemia;
• potassium, which together with tannins strengthens the cardiovascular system.

The whole complex of "apple" vitamins is preserved only in fresh fruits. Having such supplies in the refrigerator, you can always quickly cook your favorite charlotte or pie, because the filling has already been washed, peeled and cut.

What varieties of apples are best suited for freezing

Not all fruits are equally resistant to freezing. Therefore, it is important to choose the right variety so as not to experience disappointment for the result obtained after thawing.

It is best to freeze the following types of apples:

• Antonovka;
  

• Richard
  

• Jonathan;
  

• Kutuzovets ;
  

• Fuji
  

• Gala
  

• Golden Delicious;
  

• Synap.
  

Fruit and freezer preparation

To get a quality harvest, it is important to take care of the proper preparation of the fruits.

The following recommendations will help:

• broken, deformed, brown or unripe apples should not be selected for cold storage;
• fresh fruits are best tolerated by low temperatures;
• the first thing you need to rinse the fruit (preferably under running water);
• after washing, they should definitely be dried thoroughly (or wiped dry with a towel), otherwise, when cooled, the apple slices will stick together in a lump;
• further, the core and the stalk are removed from the fruit;
• then the apples are processed according to the final purpose of the application (cut into slices, cubes, etc.);
• Frozen fruits must be laid out in containers or bags for further storage.

The quality of frozen products is affected not only by the preparation of raw materials, but also by the freezer, in which cooling and further storage of the product will be carried out.

Important! Potential freezing in containers must be packaged in small portions so that the entire volume of products from one container can be used at a time.

Requirements:

• to be clean, without extraneous odors;
• provide a low temperature (at -18 ° C), so that the apples are frozen and stored properly in the future;
• separate chamber, which is intended only for storing fruits. Neighborhood with vegetables and, especially, meat and fish leads to a deterioration in product quality.

Ways to freeze apples for the winter

Having dealt with the preparatory phase, we can proceed to consider the most popular ways to freeze apples for the winter.

Whole

You can freeze whole fruits with or without a peel. These blanks look great in pies, they are also used in compotes, salads, etc. If storage without a peel is planned, then after washing and drying the fruit, the peel is removed from it, and then, for 20 minutes, the fruit is lowered into a solution of citric acid (5 g per 1 liter of water) - this will prevent the pulp from darkening.

Did you know? It is more beneficial to use apples with the peel, since it contains fiber that favorably affects digestion.

Dry the apple and seal it tightly in a cling film, container or bag, after which you can put it in the freezer. This method has a significant drawback - whole fruits take up too much space during storage, so it is better to select small specimens.

Slices

Sliced ​​apple slices are great for pies, soufflés, stewed fruit, strudel, so you don’t have to think long what to cook from such a blank, because, in fact, any recipes with apples in the composition (except for those that require only fresh fruit) will do. After washing and drying, the fruits are cut into slices (size as desired) and spread in an even layer on the plane (board, baking sheet) so that they do not touch.

It is advisable to cover the base with cling film, otherwise it will be difficult to collect frozen slices after freezing. Next, the preform is placed in the chamber for 2-3 hours for cooling. When the slices are frozen, you can pack them in bags or containers.

Video: harvesting apples

Dry freeze

This method is carried out similarly to the previous one, but it has the main feature - the primary freezing of products occurs very quickly at extremely low temperatures (from -23 ° C and below).

Important! Thanks to such shock cooling of fruits, moisture and a greater amount of vitamins are retained in them.

In sugar syrup

Apples in sugar syrup will be an excellent preparation for pies and other home-baked goods. Acid varieties are best for this recipe.

The whole preparation procedure does not take much time:

1. Fruits are washed, dried and cut into slices (without skin).
2. Having prepared the fruits, you can proceed to the syrup - bring to a boil 2 tbsp. sugar and 3 liters of water (per 1.5 kg of raw materials).
3. The solution is poured into sliced ​​slices.
4. Soaking them in syrup for 4-5 minutes, allow the liquid to drain.
5. Then put the slices in a thin layer in a bag and put them in the freezer.

Mashed potatoes

It is very convenient to freeze applesauce. It fits perfectly into containers, sparingly occupies a place in the freezer, and the spectrum of its further use is the most diverse.

Important! If it is not possible to cook mashed potatoes for a long time, then the sliced ​​slices can be simply chopped in a blender.

To make mashed potatoes:

1. The fruits are washed, peeled, core and peeled.
2. Then, they are crushed and placed in a pan.
3. The raw materials are put on a small fire and languished until they turn into mashed potatoes.
4. Next, it needs to be cooled, and then placed in containers and sent to the freezer.

Shelf life of frozen apples

On average, frozen fruit can be stored for up to 1 year, but there are exceptions. For example, applesauce is best consumed within 9 months, and whole fruits in 6 months. It is worth defrosting the workpiece gradually by placing it in the refrigerator. Re-freeze such products is impossible.

Find out if frozen apples are good.

Frozen fruits will always come to the aid of the hostess when you need to quickly set the table. With their help, it is easy to prepare smoothies for breakfast, compote for lunch or a summer cake for tea. Therefore, do not miss the opportunity to save vitamins for the winter and diversify your menu in the cold.