Apple halwa recipe made with apples, sugar, cinnamon and vanilla. Apple halwa is a delicious halwa that is easy to make. This apple halwa does not use sooji (rava), milk, khoya or milk powder. Just apples, sugar (optional) and ghee. Flavorings and nuts of your choice can be added to the halwa.
1 teaspoon vanilla extractor ½ teaspoon vanilla essence
10 almonds- chopped
10 cashews- chopped
Instructions
Prepping Apples
Rinse 1 kg apples (7 to 8 medium-sized apples) very well in water using a colander. Drain all the water. Then peel each apple.
Quarter them and slice off the part containing seeds and pith.
Then chop the apples in small cubes. You will need 7 cups chopped apples.
Cooking apples
Heat a heavy kadai or pan and keep the heat to medium-low. Add 2 tablespoons ghee in the kadai and let it melt.
Add the chopped apples.
Mix it with the ghee and begin to saute the apples on a low to medium-low flame for some 5 to 6 minutes. Some apples will soften and some won’t.
Then add 2 tablespoons water. Mix again.
Cover the kadai or pan cook for 12 to 15 minutes. stir at intervals.
On a low to medium-low heat cook covered with the lid till all the apples have softened and become mushy. The apples mixture will start to thicken.
With a spoon or potato masher, mash the cooked apples and keep on stirring so that the mixture does not stick to the bottom of the pan. You could keep some small chunk sized pieces if you want.
Making apple halwa
Then add sugar. Tangy apples will require more sugar. So amount of sugar to be added depends upon the sweetness of the apples. mix well.
Stirring often cook till some ghee can be seen at the sides for about 9 to 10 minutes on a low to medium-low heat. At this point, there should be no bubbling of apple juices in the halwa.
Then add cinnamon powder. Apples and cinnamon together are a wonderful combination.
Next add vanilla extract.
Add chopped nuts. Also keep a few chopped nuts aside for garnish.
Mix very well. Check the taste of halwa and if required add some more sugar.
Sauté stirring often for 3 to 4 minutes till the apple halwa mixture starts coming together and pulls away from the sides of the kadai or pan.
Serve apple halwa hot or warm garnished with some chopped nuts. Leftover halwa can be refrigerated. Stays good for a week.
Notes
To make apple halwa use apples that are sweet. You can use any variety of apples that are sweet. Avoid green apples or apple varieties which are tart.
If you use tart or tangy apples, then you may also need to add more sugar.
Sugar is optional in the recipe and can be skipped. If the apples are very sweet then consider skipping sugar or adding less sugar.
Instead of sugar sweeteners like palm sugar, coconut sugar, brown sugar, jaggery, maple syrup can also be added. Don't add honey as it becomes toxic on heating.
You can also make vegan apple halwa with a neutral odourless oil like sunflower oil. Coconut oil can also be used instead of ghee.
You can even add half a teaspoon of cardamom powder if you do not have cinnamon powder and vanilla. Even a bit of nutmeg powder can be added. You can add less cinnamon powder and vanilla extract if you want.
If using artificial vanilla essence, then add only half a teaspoon of it.
You can add any dry fruits and nuts of your choice.