infused immature apples

Kevin_Mott_177723

During a recent trip to Ireland, my wife and I ate at The Pullman in Glenloe Abby where we had a deconstructed apple pie a la mode. One of the elements was an immature apple about the size of the end of my index finger that had been cooked to the consistency of a ripe apple and had an intense green apple flavor. I also have a couple of young apple trees that need the young apples thinned. To recreate this element, my thought was to pressure cook the young apples in a sweet apple juice briefly. My wife thinks just simmering them in the juice will work. Any thoughts?

Brandon_Byrd_40557

Pressure cooking sounds extreme and you won't have any visual feedback or ability to taste to help guide the process. With apples that small, it's easy to overshoot the desired doneness and end up with applesauce. I think sous vide at 85C in a bit of juice would be the best option, as you'd be able to monitor the texture very closely and avoid overcooking. If that's too fussy or you don't have the gear, then simmering in juice is a good second-best alternative.