Cooking the apples with the skins on results in a pink hue. My dad was a diabetic, so I make it without sugar, then stir sugar in to taste depending on who I'm serving it to.
Fill a 6 quart dutch oven with cored apples cut into fat slices leave the skin on. Add: 1 c water Use a wood spoon to stir and mash apples, bringing mixture to a soft boil, frequently scraping the sides down with a spatula to prevent sticking. Cover when not stirring. When the mixture is desired consistency put through a cone strainer to remove skins. Add sugar to taste.