If you had asked me a few years ago what apple butter was, I would say it is a combination of apples and butter, but the truth is, there is no butter in the recipe!! This delicious sauce is a concentrated version of apple sauce. There is no fat 🙂
About Apple Butter
However, despite the excellent quality of Store-Bought Apple Butter, homemade apple butter is exceptionally delicious and reliable.
What is the difference between apple sauce and apple butter? Once apples are cooked past the apple sauce is formed, cooking continues for a longer time, which gets out more water and allows it to caramelize. You’re left with a dark brown, deeply caramelized spread packed with intense apple flavour. Maybe we call it apple butter because it is spreadable! I mean, it is a spread-like jam. We use it like jam in many other applications. We use it to add more apple flavour to baked goods without all the water the fruit has.
- Once fully cooked, Apple butter should have a deep brownish-red colour with a deep semi-sweet apple flavour.
- Apples come in many varieties and colors. The colour of the apples we use to make this product determines the final colour. The darker or redder the apples, the deeper the colour of the paste will be. On the contrary, the lighter and paler the apples, the lighter the colour of the finished products.
- The taste and flavour of the fruit also play a significant role in the final taste. Sour apples make a less sweet sauce, and sweet ones make a sweeter sauce!
Recipes:
What We Use It For?
Apple butter has many applications. The sky is the limit, and these are some of the possibilities.
- Spread it on the toast
- Stir it into oatmeal
- Set in a bowl with a cheese plate
- Brush it on chicken or pork during the last few cooking minutes
What we probably want to know is how to use it in baking;
- Top your pancakes and waffles with it
- Swirl it into cakes, cupcakes, or brownies
- Use it instead of pumpkin or applesauce in recipes
- Fill the cookies or muffins
- Use as the middle layer in crumble cake
How To Make It
- Slice and core the apples. Do not peel them.
- Place the apples, salt, sugars, lemon juice, cinnamon sticks, and spices in a large pan.
- Add the rind of one " Envy or Red Delicious Apple" to the pan for a deeper colour in the finished product.
- Add the water to the pot, let it boil, and cook on medium heat for about 2 hours.
- After two hours, remove the cinnamon sticks and blend the mixture with an immerging blender until smooth.
- Put the cinnamon sticks back into the pot and cook the mixture over medium heat for another hour until it is thick and deep in colour. Add the vanilla extract and let it cool down.
- The final mixture should be thick enough to spread on toast.
- Note: As the apple sauce cooks and thickens, it will boil vigorously and splatter out of the pan. Make sure to put the lid back on the pot.
Storing: Pour the finished product into a tight container and keep it in the fridge for up to two months.
Disclaimer: I highly recommend using the measurements in grams & ml (instead of cups & spoons) for more accuracy and better results.
LEAVE ME A STAR REVIEW IF YOU TRIED THIS RECIPE AND LIKED IT.
📖 Recipe
Apple Butter
Ingredients
- 4 lb Apples, Sliced and cored
- 1 cup Water
- 3 tablespoon Sugar
- ½ cup Brown sugar, Packed
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 2 tablespoon Lemon juice, Freshly squeezed
- 4 Cinnamon sticks
- ¼ teaspoon Clove
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
Instructions
- Wash, dry, slice, and core the apples. Do Not peel them.4 lb Apples
- Place the apples, salt, sugars, lemon juice, vanilla extract, cinnamon sticks, and spices in a large pan.3 tablespoon Sugar, ½ cup Brown sugar, ½ teaspoon Salt, 2 tablespoon Lemon juice, 4 Cinnamon sticks, ¼ teaspoon Clove
- Add the rind of one " Envy or Red Delicious Apple" to the pan for a deeper colour in the finished product.
- Add the water to the pot and let it boil and cook for about 2 hours on medium heat.1 cup Water
- After two hours, remove the cinnamon sticks and blend the mixture with an immerging blender until smooth.
- Put the cinnamon sticks back into the pot and cook the mixture over medium heat for another hour until it is thick and deep in colour. Add the vanilla extract and let it cool down.1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- The final mixture should be thick enough to spread on toast. The final mixture should be thick enough to spread on toast. See Notes*
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