It isn't available over here in the UK, so I had to start making it.
The recipe I use is from my very battered Joy of Cooking cookbook.
For best results use Jonathan, Winesap, Wealthy or other well-flavoured cooking varieties.
I use Bramley as it is the most common cooking apple in the UK.
Wash peel and remove the cores of 2 kilos of apples.
Cook slowly until soft in 2 cups apple juice or cider vinegar.
Add to the pulp brown sugar.
3 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon allspice
the zest and juice of 2 lemon
Cook the fruit butter over low heat, stirring constantly until the sugar is dissolved. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until mixture sheets from a spoon. Pour into hot sterilized jars.
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If you have more apples to cook down, then naturally you will have to add more spices and sugar to taste.
2 comments:
It's apple picking season here in New Jersey and I'm going to try this! But what do I need to know about preserving the apple butter once they are in jars? Do I need new jars that are self-sealing? Wax?
Sally
They have to be jars that can be sealed. Buying new jars is not necessary. I have re-used glass jars from store-bought spaghetti sauce for years. Make sure they are very clean. I usually run them through the hottest cycle on the dishwasher on their own just as the applebutter is done. Then fill the hot jars with applebutter, leaving a 1/2 inch gap at the top. Wipe away any spills and put the lid on.
Then you're going to have to sterilize them. Boil the sealed jars for 20 minutes. They're ready to go then! After you have removed the sealed jars from the boiling water and set them aside to cool, the pop-up thingies on the lids will go down. Every once in a while you'll hear a little "pop" as another jar's vacuum starts working.
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