Apple Butter

So... remember those lovely Virginia apples pictured in my last post?  They've been canned!  (Not like 'fired' but put in jars as apple butter; some of them, at least)

I got out my trusty mini canning kit, found a recipe for apple butter, and got to work!  First I had to weigh the apples...

Then there was the peeling and chopping and cooking.  As the apples cooked down, our home filled with the spicy aroma of Autumn. 

Once cooked and blended, the hot apple butter was put into 1/2 pint wide mouth jars.  The jars were sealed and put into the water bath, and came out beautifully.

Apple butter is one of my favorite things.  I love it on toast and English muffins and biscuits.  But my favorite thing, when I slip in a little naughty non-vegan item, is a cottage cheese and apple butter sandwich.  Pure delight! 

Here's the recipe...

Sweet Apple Cider Butter

4 1/2 lbs. apples, peeled, cored, and quartered

1 1/2 cups apple cider

2 1/4 cups sugar (I used less)

1 1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon

3/8 tsp. ground cloves

1.  Combine apples and apple cider in a large stainless steel saucepan.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Reduce heat and boil gently, stirring occasionally, until apples are soft, about 20 minutes.
2.  Transfer apple mixture to a food mill or a food processor fitted with a metal blade, working in batches, puree just until a uniform texture is achieved.  Do not liquefy.  Measure 9 cups of apple puree.
3.  Combine apple puree, sugar, cinnamon, and cloves in a clean large stainless steel saucepan.  Stir until sugar dissolves.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently.  Reduce heat and boil gently, stirring frequently, until mixture thickens and holds its shape on a spoon.
4.  Prepare stockpot/canner and jars.
5.  Ladle hot butter into jars, leaving 1/4" headspace.  Remove air bubbles, re-measure headspace.  If needed, add more butter to meet recommended headspace.   Wipe rim, center lid on jar.  Screw ban until fingertip-tight.
6.  Process filled jars in boiling water for 15 minutes.  Remove stockpot/canner lid.  Wait 5 minutes, then remove jars, cool, and store.

This recipe is from the Ball Beginner's Guide to Canning & Recipe Booklet.  

This recipe made 8 half pint jars for me, with a bit left over for supper that night!