Whiteley Creek Homestead

It's amazing the things one learns no matter what age. Slicing apples is not a difficult task, but to make it even easier and get prettier slices, do this. Use an apple corer to remove the center seed section. With the stem end facing up, cut the apple down the middle into two halves. Place the cut side down on a cutting board. Cut the apple into slices crosswise.

 
I needed apple slices to make Apple-Raisin Kanten, a recipe in The Macrobiotic Way by Michio Kushi. It's such a simple, refreshing jelled dessert with no sweetener other than what the apples, apple juice, and raisins provide. It is thickened with agar-agar, a gelatinous substance derived from a sea vegetable.

Apple-Raisin Kanten

4 unpeeled apples, sliced

1 quart (4 cups) apple juice

pinch sea salt

½ cup raisins

5 tbsp agar-agar flakes

Place all ingredients in a pot and stir until combined. Bring to a boil then reduce flame to low. Simmer for several minutes until apples are soft but still have firmness. Pour into a casserole dish, square glass cake pan, or mold. Refrigerate until jelled, about one hour. Add a sprinkle of cinnamon on top. Note: Kanten is a jelled dessert made from agar-agar.