Apple Butter

"Apple Butter"

It takes a woman's hands to lock
Such sweetness in an old brown crock.
Cooled in a springhouse made of rock
- Apple butter.

It tastes of clover blossoms fanned
By winds that fell upon the land;
Of pinks and phlox, you understand?
- Apple butter.

The apple tree threw out its shade.
Its roots grew deeply in the glade.
From crimson harvest we had made
- Apple butter.

And when I eat it now I see
The mellow arms of that old tree
That generously gave to me
- Apple butter.

Once more across the table's space
I smile into a lovely face
And share with her, in my old place,
- Apple butter.

I guess I'm like the tree that bore
These apples, finding more and more
My roots grown deep in time's rich store.
Pass me, and open childhood's door,
the Apple Butter.

~ Anne Campbell

I love to make apple butter in the fall. I started this tradition when we lived in the mountains in Arizona, and we had two apple trees in the back yard. They only produced a large crop of apples every other year, but that was plenty to make a huge batch of apple butter. We always had enough jars for our own use, and I often added them to Christmas gifts. One of our favorite ways to use it is as a filling for crepes. Just sprinkle them with a little powdered sugar, and they're really delicious!

When we were preparing to sell our home I realized I had several containers of peeled, sliced and blanched apples in the freezer that I was going to use for apple butter, but forgot about. I started working on a small batch each day, and everyone that came in to look at the house always commented on the wonderful aroma :) I managed to use up all the apples in the freezer, and we just packaged up the processed jars along with everything else in the kitchen that was moved.

One of my favorite things about the entire process (which I think I mentioned when I wrote about the jar of peach butter I made last month) is letting the jars cool after their hot water bath, and hearing the little pops of the lids as they set :)

When I first started making this I used a stove method, but I found that I preferred the oven method. There's less chance of the butter sticking, so you don't need to keep watch on it and stir it quite as much.

APPLE BUTTER

To prepare pulp:
24 medium apples (about 6 pounds)
2 cups apple cider

~ Wash apples. Remove stems and blossom ends, but do not peel or core. Cut into small pieces and cook apples in cider until soft. Press through a sieve or food mill. Measure 3 quarts apple pulp.

(A few notes: If you don't have a food mill and prefer not to deal with that, you can peel and core the apples first before cooking in the cider. When soft, run them through the blender or food processor until you have your pulp. Be sure your equipment is thoroughly cleaned and sanitized before using!

I'll often do this entire process in one day, and then put the puree in the refrigerator until morning, or place it in the freezer for a later time.)



To prepare butter:
3 quarts apple pulp
3 cups granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon cloves

~ In a large saucepan combine apple pulp, sugar and spices. Cook over a low heat until thick enough to round up on a spoon. Make sure to stir frequently to prevent sticking.

Oven option ~
Combine apple pulp, sugar and spices and pour in a large glass baking dish. Cook in a slow oven at 325 degrees for 3 to 4 hours, until it is thick enough to round up on a spoon. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.

To Process:
Ladle hot butter into sterilized hot jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Adjust two-piece caps, and process 10 minutes using the boiling-water canning method.

(Image: Maureen McCarthy)