Apples!

I so love apple butter. There was a place just outside of Astoria, Oregon that had the most divine apple butter road side stand, when I was a kid we’d always stop by, leaving our money in a jar (it was honor system) and go home happy. I haven’t been up that way in years, I imagine that the stand is long gone and the orchard behind it has changed hands at least a few times.

But the taste remains. Small red pie apples, cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg.

I make my own apple butter now, usually from the green Granny smith variety of apples, a little honey, cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg. It’s not complicated, and doesn’t take that much patience and is definitely worth the effort.

First, find a good deal on apples. If you aren’t familiar with the apples you’re buying don’t worry, you can always tweak the recipe with some sugar or lemon to come up with the flavor you most prefer. If you want to have some fun, mix different apples together for a unique treat.

I almost always start with a big bowl of ice water and a few table spoons of salt, peel and core the apples (ideally at least 1 pound.) Once that’s done you can start cooking down. In a large sauce pan simmer a quart of water (more or less doesn’t really mater), start putting apples in, and turn down the heat a little (just enough to prevent the sugars in the apples from caramelizing, as the apples turn to pulp and the water evaporates keep adding apples. Cook down as much as humanly possible without going insane (for me this is about an hour) have a book or crossword puzzle to entertain you. Take an ordinary table spoon and use your mixing spoon to drizzle a little sauce on it, taste. If it’s too bitter add sugar, brown sugar, honey or corn syrup; if it’s too sweet add some lemon juice or citric acid powder.

When the apple butter reaches the desired consistency season to taste with cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove. Freeze or can according to preference.

Now, some people make apple butter so that it’s barely any thicker than apple sauce, I’m not going to say that’s at all wrong, because it is a matter of taste. However, thicker apple butter doesn’t make toast at all soggy, so the consistency I go for is rather thick. Thicker apple butter takes more time, so if you must leave the kitchen, just pour what you have into a crockpot and set it to low or medium. It should be fine while you’re away.

If you want to make your apple butter just a little less humble for gift giving, make a batch of caramel and alternate layers of caramel and apple butter. It’s extremely rich, and when heated makes a fantastic topping for baked cheese cake or ice cream.

Filed under DIY, canning, food, recipes |