Cold sauces & condiments
Apfelkren
Apfelkren · A cold Austrian sauce or condiment built from finely grated fresh horseradish (Kren) and grated tart apple, sharpened with vinegar or lemon juice and bound with whipped cream in the canonical Viennese (Plachutta) style. Classically served alongside boiled beef such as Tafelspitz, and used broadly as a condiment for grilled, roasted, or smoked meats and fish.
The formula
2:1 grated tart apple : grated fresh horseradish; splash vinegar; pinch sugar + salt; folded with whipped cream
Plachutta/Viennese canonical ratio; both roots and apples weighed peeled and finely grated; whipped cream folded in cold at the end.
Identity
- Cold, uncooked condiment / base preparation
- Austrian (Viennese) culinary tradition
- Sweet-tart-creamy with a sharp horseradish finish
- Always built on freshly grated Kren (not jarred horseradish)
- Traditionally paired with Tafelspitz and other boiled beef
Ingredients
| Base | grated tart apple (e.g. Granny Smith, Boskoop) | Provides sweetness, body, and color; weight measured peeled and cored. |
| Base | fresh horseradish root (Kren), peeled and finely grated | Provides pungency; always freshly grated for proper heat. |
| Acid | lemon juice or white wine vinegar | Locks in horseradish pungency, prevents apple browning, sharpens profile. |
| Sweetener | sugar (or honey) | Balances the harshness of the horseradish and tartness of the apple. |
| Seasoning | salt (non-iodized preferred) | Brightens the fruit and lifts the horseradish. |
| Enrichment | whipped cream (soft peaks) | Canonical Plachutta/Viennese binder; tames heat and lightens texture. Sour cream or crème fraîche are common dairy alternatives. |
Method
- 1Peel and finely grate the horseradish; immediately toss with a splash of vinegar or lemon juice in a cold bowl.Acid and cold air slow the enzymatic loss of the pungent allyl isothiocyanate and set the heat.
- 2Peel, core, and finely grate the tart apple; mix with the remaining lemon juice or vinegar.Prevents enzymatic browning and keeps the sauce bright white.
- 3Fold the apple into the horseradish, season with salt and a small pinch of sugar; taste and adjust.Salt extracts apple juice and lifts the fruit; sugar tempers harshness without masking heat.
- 4Whip the cream only to soft peaks.Soft peaks fold in cleanly; over-whipped cream turns the sauce stiff and grainy.
- 5Fold the whipped cream gently into the apple-horseradish mixture until just combined.Preserves an airy, spoonable texture and keeps the horseradish from collapsing into the cream.
- 6Chill thoroughly so flavors marry, then taste and re-adjust acid, salt, or sugar before serving.Horseradish heat needs at least 20-30 minutes to mellow into the fruit; final seasoning is essential.
Techniques that matter
Fine microplane grating of cold horseradish and apple
Maximum surface area releases the fruit juice and the volatile mustard oils that carry horseradish heat.
Acid set on grated horseradish
Stabilizes pungency and prevents the cream from turning grey or weeping.
Cold-folded whipped cream
Keeps the sauce a classic loose spoonable consistency rather than a thick dip.
Variations & derivatives
Cookidoo / preserved apple-horseradishAustria (Thermomix official recipe)
No cream; combines fresh horseradish, lemon juice, tart apple, sugar, apple juice and salt; jarred as a long-keeping condiment.
Sauerrahm ApfelkrenAustria (Kräuterpfarrer Benedikt style)
Bound with sour cream plus safflower oil and honey; served with fish and as a dip.
Applesauce shortcutHome kitchens (combinegoodflavors.com)
Stir 2-3 Tbsp freshly grated horseradish into 360 g smooth applesauce for a fast weeknight version.
Sharp ApfelkrenStyria and Burgenland
Ratio pushed toward 1:1 apple to horseradish, often without cream, served with strong meats and smoked fish.
Used in these dishes
Substitutions
- fresh horseradish root → prepared jarred horseradish — Loses much of the bright, sharp pungency and fine texture; drain well if using.changes result
- Granny Smith apple → Boskoop, Bramley, or other firm tart apple — Keep apple tart and firm so it grates instead of turning to mush.
- whipped cream → sour cream or crème fraîche — Heavier and tangier; closer to the Kräuterpfarrer version.
- whipped cream → plain full-fat yogurt — Adds stronger dairy tang; sauce becomes looser.
- white wine vinegar → apple cider vinegar or lemon juice — Apple cider vinegar echoes the apple; lemon is brighter.
- sugar → honey — Honey adds a floral note; use slightly less as honey is sweeter than sugar.
Troubleshooting
Sauce is harsh, eye-watering or burns the palate
Horseradish was grated too coarsely, sat warm, or was over-dosed; apple was too sweet. → Fold in more grated tart apple and a touch more cream; chill 30 minutes before serving.
Sauce turns brown or grey
Apple or horseradish was not acidulated soon enough, or knives/grater were warm. → Stir in additional lemon juice at once and chill; next time acidulate the grated roots immediately.
Sauce is thin and weeps liquid
Over-folded or under-whipped cream, or wet applesauce shortcut. → Drain briefly or fold in a spoon of stiffly whipped cream to restore body.
Sauce tastes flat or only of cream
Added the horseradish too early and the volatile heat cooked off, or under-salted. → Re-fold fresh grated horseradish at the last moment and adjust salt.