I'm just about over this summer thing. I'm ready for cooler weather, jeans and long sleeve shirts, sipping on warm coffee while baking in the kitchen. I'm ready for fall. Don't get me wrong, I love summer - hanging out by the pool, warm summer nights, and fires in the back yard. But nothing beats having the windows open, feeling the crisp chill in the air and baking fall treats. Can you tell I'm a fall kind of a gal?
I'm already kicking into fall mode and my kitchen is a clear indicator of that. I'm not sure if there is a better smell than fresh baked apple pie.
With all the apples we got I wanted to learn how to make apple butter. I'd never made it before but it didn't seem too hard.
And let me tell you, this stuff is amazing! Our neighbor and I made 2 batches Wednesday night. Thursday afternoon I made another batch. I made enough to hand out to neighbors and friends, keep some in our fridge and freeze some for later. It's a process but totally worth it.
Apple Butter
Ingredients:
- 5 lbs. Tart Apples
- 2 cups apple cider
- 3-5 cups sugar
- 3 tsp. ground cinnamon
- ¾ tsp. ground cloves
- ½ tsp. ground allspice
- ½ tsp. ground nutmeg
Peel, core and quarter apples. In a large crock pot slowly cook apples in cider until tender. (I did this in a large pot on the stove because the crock pot took too long). Blend in a food processor or blender to the consistency of apple sauce.
Add 3 cups of sugar and check for sweetness; add more as necessary, sometimes up to 5 cups. (We only needed 3 cups) Add spices and stir together.
In same large crock pot cook on low for 6 to 8 hours (or overnight on low).
Test for thickness by spooning butter on a cold plate. It no liquid comes out of the edges, it is thick enough. If it isn’t thick enough, take the lid off the crock pot and turn it up to high. Let some liquid boil off, but stir and check back often.
Ladle into sterile jars leaving ¼ inch head space. Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude if necessary. (I didn't can ours but it's something I want to try. You can easily let the apple butter cool and freeze in freezer bags).
**This recipe makes ten 1/2 –pints of butter.
I'm already kicking into fall mode and my kitchen is a clear indicator of that. I'm not sure if there is a better smell than fresh baked apple pie.
With all the apples we got I wanted to learn how to make apple butter. I'd never made it before but it didn't seem too hard.
And let me tell you, this stuff is amazing! Our neighbor and I made 2 batches Wednesday night. Thursday afternoon I made another batch. I made enough to hand out to neighbors and friends, keep some in our fridge and freeze some for later. It's a process but totally worth it.
Apple Butter
Ingredients:
- 5 lbs. Tart Apples
- 2 cups apple cider
- 3-5 cups sugar
- 3 tsp. ground cinnamon
- ¾ tsp. ground cloves
- ½ tsp. ground allspice
- ½ tsp. ground nutmeg
Peel, core and quarter apples. In a large crock pot slowly cook apples in cider until tender. (I did this in a large pot on the stove because the crock pot took too long). Blend in a food processor or blender to the consistency of apple sauce.
Add 3 cups of sugar and check for sweetness; add more as necessary, sometimes up to 5 cups. (We only needed 3 cups) Add spices and stir together.
In same large crock pot cook on low for 6 to 8 hours (or overnight on low).
Test for thickness by spooning butter on a cold plate. It no liquid comes out of the edges, it is thick enough. If it isn’t thick enough, take the lid off the crock pot and turn it up to high. Let some liquid boil off, but stir and check back often.
Ladle into sterile jars leaving ¼ inch head space. Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude if necessary. (I didn't can ours but it's something I want to try. You can easily let the apple butter cool and freeze in freezer bags).
**This recipe makes ten 1/2 –pints of butter.
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