Cinnamon Spiced Apples (Lacto-fermented Apples)

These cinnamon spiced lacto-fermented apples will remind you of eating apple pie. The lacto-fermentation process gives the apples a unique sour flavour and makes them rich in probiotics, which can help you maintain a healthy gut. This recipe is great for beginners who are just getting into fermenting their own foods at home.

Different kinds of bacteria and yeast are in the environment all around us, and on the surface of apples too. We want to make sure lactic acid bacteria (LAB) grows the fastest and can take control of the ferment. Since LAB likes to grow in a salty, oxygen-free environment, we submerge the apples in a saltwater solution to encourage their proliferation. The lactic acid bacteria make the ferment acidic, and an acidic environment further helps to preserve the apples.

Cinnamon Spiced Apple Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 pounds of apples (about 6-8 small apples)
• 2 one-litre sized mason jars with lids (Jar size is not important, use whatever you have at home)
• 1 ½ tablespoons non-iodized salt (25g)
• ½ cup (125mL) of hot water
• 3 ½ cups (875mL) of water (water should be boiled and cooled to room temperature)
• 2 tablespoons of cinnamon powder (Or 1 cinnamon stick)
• 1 lemon juiced
• 6 cloves
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1-inch piece of vanilla bean ( Or 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract) (Optional)

Method

1. In a measuring cup, dissolve 1 ½ tablespoons of salt in ½  cup of hot water. Stir until the salt is fully dissolved. Add the 3 ½ cups of room-temperature water. Set aside your salt brine.
2. Divide the ingredients into each mason jar. Each mason jar will have 1 tablespoon o cinnamon powder, ½ the juice of a lemon, 3 cloves, ½ teaspoon of nutmeg and ½-inch of a vanilla (optional). This recipe is very flexible, so you can feel free to experiment with whatever seasonings you have at home.
3. Peel and core the 2 lbs of apples. Slice into chunky pieces, about 1-inch wide. Apples can be left unpeeled if you prefer. Tightly pack the apples in the 1L glass mason jars until the jars are full.
4. Tightly screw the lids on the jars and give them a shake to make sure the seasonings are evenly dispersed throughout the jar. Be sure to label the jars so you know when the lacto-ferments were prepared.
5. Place the lacto-fermented apples on a plate or container to catch the salt brine that will spill out from the jars. Place jars on the kitchen counter for 3-5 days. Leaving the jars out for longer will result in a sourer (fermented) taste.
6. Every other day, press the top of the jar lid. If it is difficult to press down, that means that pressure is building from the CO2 gas produced during fermentation. Burp the jars by gently unscrewing the lid to allow the gas to escape. Then tighten the lid again.
7. When you are happy with the flavour, place the jars in the fridge. It can be left in the fridge for about a year. The lacto-fermented apples get softer and sourer the longer they are left in the fridge.