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Post by ladymarmalade on Sept 1, 2020 8:39:53 GMT -5
Super easy! And smells like heaven while it's cooking. I love to make this with windfalls or apples full of blemishes. You can literally wash and chop the apples peel and all and drop them in the pot to cook- leaving any bad spots behind. Then I use an old fashioned chinois strainer with a pestle to press the apple mixture through and leave the seeds and peel bits behind. Actually, I have a new saucemaker that does the same thing. If you don't have an easy way to remove bits, go ahead and peel/core the apples. Then you can actually use an immersion blender once the apples are soft enough.
Apple Butter
4 pounds apples (about 12 to 16 medium) 2 cups water 4 cups sugar 2 teaspoons cinnamon ¼ teaspoon cloves Directions Core and peel apples, if desired. Cut apples into quarters.
Combine apples and water in a large saucepan. Cook apples at a simmer until soft. Puree mixture using an electric food strainer or food mill. Measure 2 quarts of apple pulp; return apple pulp to saucepan. Add sugar and spices, stirring until sugar dissolves. Cook at a gentle boil over medium heat until apple mixture is thick enough to mound on a spoon, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. If mixture becomes too thick, add a small amount of water or apple juice for desired consistency. Remove from heat.
Ladle hot apple butter into a hot jar leaving a ¼ inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe jar rim. Center lid on jar and apply band, adjust to fingertip tight. Place jar in boiling water canner. Repeat until all jars are filled.
Process jars 15 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Turn off heat, remove lid, let jars stand 5 minutes. Remove jars and cool 12-24 hours. Check lids for seal, they should not flex when center is pressed.
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Post by bestofour on Sept 1, 2020 10:19:43 GMT -5
I love apple butter.
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Post by domination2580th on Sept 14, 2020 14:06:26 GMT -5
Is this like actual butter or is it like a apple sauce?
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Post by Laura_in_FL on Sept 14, 2020 14:21:55 GMT -5
More like apple sauce, but cooked low and slow with more sugar so it's thicker and more spreadable like a jam.
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Post by domination2580th on Sept 14, 2020 14:23:59 GMT -5
More like apple sauce, but cooked low and slow with more sugar so it's thicker and more spreadable like a jam. Interesting. And it can be canned.... might have to make some
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Post by spike on Sept 14, 2020 14:53:12 GMT -5
I make mine in a crock pot and then can it. DELICIOUS! Plus it makes the whole house smell amazing!
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Post by domination2580th on Sept 14, 2020 15:25:11 GMT -5
Im thinking about doing it in crock pot.... but it takes forever I heard
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Post by ladymarmalade on Sept 14, 2020 15:34:16 GMT -5
More like apple sauce, but cooked low and slow with more sugar so it's thicker and more spreadable like a jam. This. It's thick and rich and is amazing smeared on fresh biscuits, cornbread, or waffles. It also is a main ingredient in Double Apple Bundt Cake. Double Apple Bundt Cakerecipe from Baking, From My Home To Yours by Dorie Greenspan 2 cups all purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 1/4 sticks (10 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature 1 1/2 cups sugar 2 large eggs 1 cup store-bought apple butter- spiced or plain 2 medium apples, peeled, cored and grated 1 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped 1/2 cup plump, moist raisins (dark or golden) Confectioners’ sugar for dusting (optional) For the Icing (optional): 1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar About 2 tablespoons fresh orange or lemon juice Center a rack in the oven and preheat to 350ºF. Butter a 12 inch Bundt pan. If your pan is not nonstick, dist the interior of the pan with flour and tap out the excess. Don’t place the pan on a baking sheet- you want the oven’s heat to circulate through the inner tube. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt. Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed, scraping the bowl as needed, for 3 minutes, or until the mixture is smooth, thick and pale. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each addition; you’ll have a light, fluffy batter. Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in the apple butter- don’t worry if it curdles the batter. Still on low, add the grated apple and mix completely to blend. Add the dry ingredients, mixing only until the disappear into the batter. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the nuts and raisins. Turn the batter into the bundt pan and smooth the top of the batter with the rubber spatula. Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until a thin knife inserted deep into the center of the cake comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack to cool for 5 minutes before unmolding and cooling the cake to room temperature. If possible, once the cake is completely cool, wrap well in plastic and let it stand overnight at room temperature to ripen the flavors. If you’re not going to ice the cake, you can dust it with confectioners’ sugar just before serving. To make the optional icing: Put the confectioners’ sugar in a small bowl and stir in a squirt or two of either orange or lemon juice. Keep adding the juice a little at a time until you have an icing that falls easily from the tip of a spoon. Drizzle the icing over the top of the cake, letting it slide down the curves of the cake in whatever pattern it makes. Let the cake stand until the icing dries, a matter of minutes, before slicing.
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Post by Laura_in_FL on Sept 14, 2020 16:30:53 GMT -5
Im thinking about doing it in crock pot.... but it takes forever I heard Yes, but you don't have to sit there and babysit it once you put it in the crockpot. Since it cooks for 8 hours you can start the crock pot up at bedtime and let it cook overnight, then can it in the morning.
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Post by Laura_in_FL on Sept 14, 2020 16:32:08 GMT -5
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Post by domination2580th on Sept 14, 2020 19:39:29 GMT -5
More like apple sauce, but cooked low and slow with more sugar so it's thicker and more spreadable like a jam. This. It's thick and rich and is amazing smeared on fresh biscuits, cornbread, or waffles. It also is a main ingredient in Double Apple Bundt Cake. Double Apple Bundt Cakerecipe from Baking, From My Home To Yours by Dorie Greenspan 2 cups all purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 1/4 sticks (10 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature 1 1/2 cups sugar 2 large eggs 1 cup store-bought apple butter- spiced or plain 2 medium apples, peeled, cored and grated 1 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped 1/2 cup plump, moist raisins (dark or golden) Confectioners’ sugar for dusting (optional) For the Icing (optional): 1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar About 2 tablespoons fresh orange or lemon juice Center a rack in the oven and preheat to 350ºF. Butter a 12 inch Bundt pan. If your pan is not nonstick, dist the interior of the pan with flour and tap out the excess. Don’t place the pan on a baking sheet- you want the oven’s heat to circulate through the inner tube. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt. Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed, scraping the bowl as needed, for 3 minutes, or until the mixture is smooth, thick and pale. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each addition; you’ll have a light, fluffy batter. Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in the apple butter- don’t worry if it curdles the batter. Still on low, add the grated apple and mix completely to blend. Add the dry ingredients, mixing only until the disappear into the batter. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the nuts and raisins. Turn the batter into the bundt pan and smooth the top of the batter with the rubber spatula. Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until a thin knife inserted deep into the center of the cake comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack to cool for 5 minutes before unmolding and cooling the cake to room temperature. If possible, once the cake is completely cool, wrap well in plastic and let it stand overnight at room temperature to ripen the flavors. If you’re not going to ice the cake, you can dust it with confectioners’ sugar just before serving. To make the optional icing: Put the confectioners’ sugar in a small bowl and stir in a squirt or two of either orange or lemon juice. Keep adding the juice a little at a time until you have an icing that falls easily from the tip of a spoon. Drizzle the icing over the top of the cake, letting it slide down the curves of the cake in whatever pattern it makes. Let the cake stand until the icing dries, a matter of minutes, before slicing. Agreed, this looks really good. Minus the raisins though for me.
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Post by ladymarmalade on Sept 14, 2020 19:45:26 GMT -5
That cake is one of my favorites for sure. Sometimes I make it with pear butter and pears instead of apple. Just as delicious!
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alexbur9
Junior Member
Posts: 11
Joined: May 2021
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Post by alexbur9 on May 6, 2021 1:13:58 GMT -5
I was interested in the name, and after reading the recipe I realized that I really like it. And the ingredients are simple, and it's not even that hard to make. What kind of apples should I use? I think it depends on whether they are sweet or sour.
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Post by ladymarmalade on May 6, 2021 20:18:38 GMT -5
I was interested in the name, and after reading the recipe I realized that I really like it. And the ingredients are simple, and it's not even that hard to make. What kind of apples should I use? I think it depends on whether they are sweet or sour. You can use any kind of apple you happen to have. Sweet, Tart, soft, firm, they will all cook down together and make some magic. In the fall we're known to go to the orchard and bring home 7 or 8 different kinds of apples, but after a few weeks some of them start to decline in quality, so I'll cut up what remains and make apple butter with all that is left. So good.
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directsunlight
Junior Member
Posts: 23
Zone:: 8a
Favorite Vegetable:: artichoke
Joined: September 2021
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Post by directsunlight on Sept 25, 2021 19:16:41 GMT -5
That sounds awesome! I have a kieffer pear tree so am wondering if can make a 1:1 substitution here. I made pear sauce a couple of times earlier this month, but i had to take out the added water because it made the consistency too thin. The second batch was still a little thin but closer to the mark.
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Post by ladymarmalade on Sept 26, 2021 8:38:03 GMT -5
That sounds awesome! I have a kieffer pear tree so am wondering if can make a 1:1 substitution here. I made pear sauce a couple of times earlier this month, but i had to take out the added water because it made the consistency too thin. The second batch was still a little thin but closer to the mark. Definitely. I also have a Kieffer pear tree and it's the very last thing in my yard to be ready to eat in the fall. By the time it is ready I'm so done with all the preserving for the season. Pear Butter usually happens because I can't stand to just put the pears in the compost, and once I've made a few batches of simple pears in syrup, I just don't want to do any more preserving. Like you, I find pear sauce a little on the thin side, but the butter always turns out and is delicious. Here is my recipe, though I tend to leave out the cardamom and add a teaspoon of fenugreek seeds instead. Changes the flavor a bit, but you can feel free to adjust the spices to your preferred assortment. Spiced Pear Butter6 pounds pears, (about 16-20 large pears-ripe) 3 cups apple cider 3 tablespoons whole mulling spices 1 1-inch piece fresh ginger 3 cardamom pods 3 cups sugar Trim off the stem and blossom ends of the pears- cutting off as little of the pear as possible. Cut the pears into large chunks, and place in a large dutch oven with the apple juice mulling spices, ginger, and cardamom. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for about 45 minutes, or until the pears are soft and tender. Using a chinois food mill or a sieve, press the pear mixture through the sieve- liquid included. Discard the seeds, spice bits and bits of peel remaining. Pour strained mixture back into the dutch oven. Add 3 cups of sugar and stir well to combine. Return to a boil and cooked, uncovered over medium heat. Stir frequently to prevent scorching. The mixture will thicken and mound up on a spoon when ready- this could take as little as 45 minutes or as much as 3 hours, depending on the water content of your pears. Just keep an eye on it and stir often. Once thickened, quickly pour hot mixture into hot, sterilized jars, leaving a 1/4-inch headspace. Wipe the jar rims and cover right away with metal lids that have been softened in hot water. Screw on jar bands. Process in a boiling water bath at a full rolling boil for 10 minutes. Makes about 4 cups of pear butter.
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directsunlight
Junior Member
Posts: 23
Zone:: 8a
Favorite Vegetable:: artichoke
Joined: September 2021
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Post by directsunlight on Sept 27, 2021 23:19:18 GMT -5
The past few years i have picked the pears in late August, but this year had to go earlier than that. I had several branches break (6-8 feet long) so had to pick right away. They are not that different from the ones in September. They still get softer a couple of weeks after picking. The tree blooms in March so it does get an early start. The last fruit I get for the year is kiwano melon (about the first of September until frost) and persimmon (mid to late October).
Might have to try that recipe next time!
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Post by hairymooseknuckles on Oct 12, 2021 10:33:04 GMT -5
ladymarmalade, I don’t know how I missed your thread! I love all kinds of Jams, Jellies, butters! I’ve been seeing a lot of recipes for pumpkin butter lately. I also love fried apples. They are not deep fried, but smothered in a cast iron skillet with butter. Ohhhh so good!
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Post by spike on Oct 16, 2021 12:40:02 GMT -5
Today is an applesauce and apple butter kind of day. Our little house smells amazing.
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Post by spike on Oct 17, 2021 11:06:49 GMT -5
And done. 14 pints of applesauce and 8 pints of apple butter!
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Post by paulf on Oct 17, 2021 12:14:14 GMT -5
Apple crisp from the local grown apples is very nice for a snack. We tried it with two different toppings; one was sugar, flour, cinnamon and the other had those ingredients but with oatmeal in the mix. Both were very good but I think we like the added oatmeal.
An apple tree we planted 15 years ago has around a hundred apples on it for the first year of having more than a handful of fruit. It was supposed to be a crabapple but has some variety of giant red apple. Its twin IS a crabapple. I keep checking for ripeness but they are still a little green. They will make great apple sauce if they ever ripen.
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Post by Laura_in_FL on Oct 17, 2021 14:17:52 GMT -5
How exciting that you have a full size apple instead of a crabapple. You said you have gotten a handful of fruit from it in years past. Is it only good for sauce, or also good for fresh eating or baking?
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Post by paulf on Oct 17, 2021 14:28:50 GMT -5
How exciting that you have a full size apple instead of a crabapple. You said you have gotten a handful of fruit from it in years past. Is it only good for sauce, or also good for fresh eating or baking? In past years they were awful and we didn't do anything with them. I do not have a spray schedule to keep the worms away. We are excited because this year they are disease and pest free for some unknown reason.
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Post by Laura_in_FL on Oct 18, 2021 7:32:45 GMT -5
I see. It's great that you had a disease and pest free year. Are you going to try one fresh once they are ripe?
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Post by paulf on Oct 18, 2021 10:33:54 GMT -5
Once a week I pick one and try it fresh; so far still not ripe, still hard with greeness inside and pretty tart. Tartness may be the variety and we will never have a sweet apple. Then it will become a baking apple.
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Post by Laura_in_FL on Oct 18, 2021 14:57:57 GMT -5
Nothing wrong with a tree full of baking apples. In addition to being able to make apple pies this fall, you have the option of canning a bunch of apple pie filling if you want. Plus you can make apple cider. And IMO tart apples make a more flavorful applesauce than sweet apples - I like being able to control how sweet the applesauce is, too.
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