Homemade Apple Butter (small batch)

 

 

One thing which I have always loved doing it making my own jams and preserves.  Of course when I had a growing family, this kept me very busy in the late summer/early autumn as I worked very hard to preserve the summers bounty.

One thing which my family really enjoyed was apple butter. They loved it on toast, spread between cake layers, on biscuits and with pork. If you have never tasted a pork roast or ham glazed with apple butter, then you cannot know what you are missing.  Delectable.

  

 

Another thing I like to make with apple butter is Apple Butter Pie.  I thought I could find some apple butter in the store to do that with, but to no avail. I guess it is not a common thing here in Nova Scotia. You would think it would be the opposite as we here in the Valley are a prime Apple Growing area.

I decided to make my own, but since I am only one person I small batched the recipe to make only one pint (2 cups).  This is the best apple butter. It starts on top of the stove but is finished in the oven. 

 

This version differs slightly from your traditional apple butter recipe in that I spice it up with crystalized gingerroot. You can add other spices of course as well, or leave the gingerroot out entirely. Its your choice.

For apple butter you want to use a good cooking apple, or at the very least an apple which is a good all rounder. This means simply that it is good not only for cooking but eating.

Gravenstein apples are the best for cooking, but today I used a newer apple called the Sunrise Apple. (See photo above.)  Sunrise apples are sweet, juicy and crisp, but they are not great storers.  They are also not on the market for very long due to that fact.

I have to say they make very tasty apple butter. You can find out more about this particular apple here.

 

Apple butter is a highly concentrated form of apple sauce. Normally it is quite a bit darker in color than this here today, but that is largely due to the use of spices.  Notably, ground cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.

I have used no spices in mine, simply the minced crystalized ginger.  I plan on adding more spice when I make my apple butter pie later this week.

Apple butter has its roots in Western Europe (Belgium, Netherlands and Germany) and was considered to be a great way of preserving apples for the winter. It was very popular during the middle ages when every Monastery had its own orchards.

You can read more about its history and production here. 

 

Its really not that difficult to make at all. If you have ever made applesauce, then you have come very close to making apple butter.  Apple butter is essentially just applesauce that has been cooked and condensed into a thicker consistency.

As I said we love the stuff.   But then we love apples full stop!

You can use just about any kind of apple you like to make apple butter. I highly recommend a mix of both cooking and eating apples for the best flavor overall.

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE HOMEMADE APPLE BUTTER

Essentially very simple ingredients, beginning with apples.

• 2 pounds apples, peeled, cored and cut into large chunks
• 3/4 cup fresh apple cider
• 1 TBS minced crystalized ginger (optional but very good)
• 1/4 cup (50g) sugar
• 3/4 TBS lemon juice

You can up the spice by adding 1/4 tsp cinnamon along with 1/8 tsp each ground cloves and nutmeg if desired. Just add it in with the sugar. 

 

As you can see despite there not being a lot of spices in this version, the color is still a lovely shade of amber.  It smells amazing when it is baking.  I couldn't help but taste it along the way.

I used cloudy apple juice today as I did not have any fresh apple cider in the house.  They are very similar in taste and texture. Don't use ordinary apple juice.

The crystallized ginger is a totally optional ingredient, but I have to say it does give this apple butter a really unique and delicious finish.

 

 

HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE APPLE BUTTER

This is not really labor intensive although the cook time is rather long.  Make it on a day when you know you don't have to go out anywhere.

Preheat the oven to 350*F/ 180*C/ gas mark 4. Combine the apples, cider and ginger in a saucepan. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally until the apples turn to mush. (15 to 20 minutes)

Remove from the heat and stir in the sugar and lemon juice. Transfer to a blender (or using an immersion blender) and blend until you have a smooth fine puree. Transfer to a shallow baking dish.

 

Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, stirring twice.Reduce the oven temperature to 300*F/150*C/ gas mark 3 and bake for a further 45 to 55 minutes, stirring occasionally. When done the apple butter will have darkened and reduced by nearly half.

Remove from the oven and cool. Transfer to a pint jar, cover tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. For longer storage you must either freeze or process in a water bath.

 

I wish you could smell how lovely my house smells at the moment. It is amazing.  I made this in anticipation of making an Apple Butter Pie later this week, so if you want to be able to make that Apple Butter Pie, I highly recommend you making this apple butter.

Of course you can use a store purchased apple butter in its place. Not a problem.

This smells and tastes so good I just hope that I still have some when I go to make the pie!  There is always the danger that I will gobble it up!  Yes, I cannot really truly be trusted around things that are this delicious!

Got lots of apples?  Want to use some of them up??  Might I suggest the following apple delights! 

OATY APPLE CRUMBLE - When it comes to an apple dessert you can't get much better than an apple crumble. I like the ones with the Oats in the crumble most of all. For some reason they seem more wholesome, and almost healthier . . .  although they really aren't.  Sugar is sugar.  But we won't think about that right now. Pure deliciousness.

CARAMEL APPLE SELF SAUCING PUDDING - A tasty cake pudding that is composed of a delicious apple sauce on the bottom and a moist cake batter on the top.  Delicious served warm and spooned into bowls with hot custard poured over top, or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or some whipped cream!

Homemade Apple Butter (small batch)

Yield: 1 pint (2 cups)

Author: Marie Rayner

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 1 H & 45 MTotal time: 1 H & 55 M

This is a delicious fruit spread that is fabulous served on hot biscuits, with pork, stirred into your morning oats, etc. You can up the spice by adding 1/4 tsp cinnamon along with 1/8 tsp each ground cloves and nutmeg if desired.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds apples, peeled, cored and cut into large chunks
• 3/4 cup fresh apple cider
• 1 TBS minced crystalized ginger (optional but very good)
• 1/4 cup (50g) sugar
• 3/4 TBS lemon juice

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350*F/ 180*C/ gas mark 4. Combine the apples, cider and ginger in a saucepan. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally until the apples turn to mush. (15 to 20 minutes)
2. Remove from the heat and stir in the sugar and lemon juice. Transfer to a blender (or using an immersion blender) and blend until you have a smooth fine puree. Transfer to a shallow baking dish.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, stirring twice.
4. Reduce the oven temperature to 300*F/150*C/ gas mark 3 and bake for a further 45 to 55 minutes, stirring occasionally. When done the apple butter will have darkened and reduced by nearly half.
5. Remove from the oven and cool. Transfer to a pint jar, cover tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. For longer storage you must either freeze or process in a water bath.

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