Apple Butter

We stopped at a farm stand and they had a bin full of bruised apples that were super cheap, so I thought it was a perfect time to make apple sauce. When we got back, I thought I'd try to make apple butter instead. It's basically apple sauce cooked down to a thick spread. It makes the entire house smell like apples and cinnamon and fall amazingness. I can't wait to spread it on toast or an English muffin tomorrow. Using a food mill makes it so you don't have to peel the apples, and adds extra flavor to the sauce. I also use cider instead of water for a more intense apple flavor.

Makes one small jar and 

Ingredients:

6 apples, cored 

2 cinnamon sticks

about 2 cups of apple cider

1/4 cup brown sugar

pinch of salt

1 tbsp lemon juice

Directions:

Halve the apples, slice and chop in half. Throw them in a heavy-bottomed pot and pour in enough apple cider to start coming up the sides. Throw in a pinch of salt and the cinnamon sticks. 

Bring to a simmer. Simmer it for 20-30 minutes until apples are very tender.

Take out the cinnamon sticks and run the apples through a food mill in batches, cleaning out the skin in between, until you have a nice smooth apple sauce. I actually scraped a little out here because Jamie loves apple sauce.

Return the apple sauce to the pot and put one cinnamon stick back in. Add 1/4 cup brown sugar.

 Simmer on low for about two hours, until the sauce has thickened and started to caramelize, stirring every 30 minutes or so. (Above is after one hour.) Add the lemon juice.

After about two hours, it will look like this. Then let it cool and put it into a jar, or tupperware, and keep it in the fridge. Spread it on toast, ice cream, crackers... apparently a little bit is also good on grilled cheese - I'll have to try it and report back.