APPLE BUTTER
Makes Approximately 6 Cups
5 lbs. Apples, peeled, sliced, and cored
1 cup Apple Cider
1/4-1/2 cup Honey, Brown Sugar, or Agave Syrup - to taste (I use honey)
1 Tablespoon Cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon Cloves
1/2 teaspoon Allspice
Pinch of Salt
Place apples and apple cider in a large pot over low heat, uncovered.
Cook apples slowly, stirring occasionally, until they begin to fall apart, about 30-45 minutes on a gas range (could take up to an hour).
Use a potato masher or a stick blender to puree the apples. You can either puree until the mixture is completely smooth or you can leave small chunks, depending on your preference.
Taste the apple puree and add in honey, brown sugar, or agave syrup until it reaches your desired level of sweetness. Stir in the cinnamon, cloves, and allspice. Continue to cook the apple puree over low heat until it thickens, stirring frequently to keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pot. The apple butter is finished cooking when you can drop a spoonful on a plate and it forms a stiff mound that does not have liquid running around the bottom edge.
Let the apple butter cool and then store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two weeks or in the freezer for a year.
You can use apple butter many different ways. We eat it plain, stir it into oatmeal or yogurt, on pancakes or muffins. My daughter's favorite is a piece of warm bread with homemade peanut butter, topped with warm apple butter.
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