Apple butter, a delectable spread made from slow-cooked apples, is a quintessential fall treat that captures the essence of the season. This versatile condiment, with its rich, caramelized flavor and velvety smooth texture, is not only a delicious addition to breakfast toast or crackers but also elevates various culinary creations.
In this article, we present two delightful recipes for apple butter: a classic stovetop method and a hands-off oven-roasted version. Both recipes utilize a combination of tart and sweet apples, simmered with spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice, to achieve that perfect balance of flavors. The stovetop method, while requiring more attention, offers the opportunity to adjust the consistency and caramelization to your liking. On the other hand, the oven-roasted method provides a convenient and effortless approach, allowing the oven to do the work while you focus on other tasks.
No matter which recipe you choose, the result is a batch of homemade apple butter that will elevate your culinary repertoire. Spread it on toast or crackers for a quick and satisfying snack, drizzle it over pancakes or waffles for a decadent breakfast, or incorporate it into glazes, marinades, and sauces for a burst of autumnal flavor. The possibilities are endless with this versatile spread. So, let's dive into the recipes and embark on a flavorful journey with apple butter!
APPLE BUTTER IN THE OVEN
I went apple picking and knew I wanted to make apple butter, but I also knew I didn't want to stir it for hours on the stove. I was glad to find recipes for baking it at a low temperature instead. I adapted one I found to make this spiced, not-too-sweet treat! I like it on toast or over oatmeal. Keep refrigerated for a few days, or freeze for later use.
Provided by LauraF
Categories Side Dish Sauces and Condiments Recipes Canning and Preserving Recipes Fruit Butter Recipes
Time 3h40m
Yield 40
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Combine apples, apple cider, brown sugar, and salt in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add cinnamon, star anise, cloves, and allspice. Bring to a simmer. Cover partially and cook until apples are soft, 20 to 25 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C).
- Remove whole spices from the pot with a slotted spoon. Reserve cinnamon and star anise; discard cloves and allspice. Puree apples with an immersion blender until smooth. Stir in lemon juice and return cinnamon and star anise to the pot.
- Bake uncovered in the preheated oven, stirring every 30 minutes, until apple butter thickens and deepens in color, about 3 hours. Let cool completely. Discard cinnamon and star anise before transferring to airtight containers.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 46.6 calories, Carbohydrate 12.2 g, Fat 0.1 g, Fiber 1.2 g, Protein 0.1 g, Sodium 13.2 mg, Sugar 10.2 g
KENTUCKY APPLE BUTTER
I bake and cook them in the oven for few hours or till the apple butter is reddish and thick.
Provided by ELEANORAFA
Categories Side Dish Sauces and Condiments Recipes Canning and Preserving Recipes Fruit Butter Recipes
Time 2h55m
Yield 45
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Place apples in a large pot and cover with water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer, stirring occasionally, until apples are softened, 5 to 10 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
- Press apples through a food mill to separate seeds, cores, and skin from apple pulp and transfer pulp to a bowl. Stir white sugar, brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg into apples. Pour apple mixture into a 9x13-inch baking pan.
- Bake in the preheated oven, stirring and scraping sides every 20 to 30 minutes, until apple butter is red and thickened, 2 to 4 hours.
- Sterilize the jars and lids in boiling water for at least 5 minutes. Pack apple butter into the hot, sterilized jars, filling the jars to within 1/4 inch of the top. Run a knife or a thin spatula around the insides of the jars after they have been filled to remove any air bubbles. Wipe the rims of the jars with a moist paper towel to remove any food residue. Top with lids, and screw on rings.
- Place a rack in the bottom of a large stockpot and fill halfway with water. Bring to a boil and lower jars into the boiling water using a holder. Leave a 2-inch space between the jars. Pour in more boiling water if necessary to bring the water level to at least 1 inch above the tops of the jars. Bring the water to a rolling boil, cover the pot, and process for 30 minutes.
- Remove the jars from the stockpot and place onto a cloth-covered or wood surface, several inches apart, until cool. Once cool, press the top of each lid with a finger, ensuring that the seal is tight (lid does not move up or down at all). Store in a cool, dark area.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 65.6 calories, Carbohydrate 14.8 g, Cholesterol 2.7 mg, Fat 1.1 g, Fiber 1.3 g, Protein 0.2 g, SaturatedFat 0.7 g, Sodium 8.7 mg, Sugar 12.8 g
HOMEMADE APPLE BUTTER
Provided by Food Network Kitchen
Categories condiment
Time 3h30m
Yield about 2 cups
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Combine the apples, apple cider, brown sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large ovenproof pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, partially cover and cook until the apples are soft, about 20 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice, cinnamon, vanilla and cloves. Puree the mixture in a blender in batches until smooth (or use an immersion blender).
- Return the mixture to the pot and bake, uncovered, stirring every 30 minutes, until thickened and deep amber, 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours (the timing will depend on the kind of apples you use). Remove from the oven and let cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate up to 5 days.
- Try it on: Pancakes, waffles, yogurt, oatmeal, grilled cheese, PB&J, biscuits, cornbread or pork chops
Nutrition Facts : Calories 128 calorie, Fat 0 grams, SaturatedFat 0 grams, Cholesterol 0 milligrams, Sodium 72 milligrams, Carbohydrate 33 grams, Fiber 3 grams, Protein 0 grams, Sugar 28 grams
APPLE BUTTER
A great answer to that eternal question - "What do I do with all these apples?" - apple butter is a sweetened, concentrated, lightly spiced spread that's smoother than jam and thicker than applesauce and fantastic on buttered toast, thinned with vinegar as a sauce for pork chops, or used to top breakfast treats like pancakes, waffles or biscuits. The apples here are intentionally left unpeeled and uncored to take advantage of the extra flavor in the peels and pectin-rich cores. (A pass through a food mill or sieve after cooking will pull them out.) As for the ideal apple butter apple - well, there is none. Use nearly any variety: This recipe is only improved by mixing and matching. Note, too, that this can be made on the stovetop or in the oven. The oven method may take longer, but it can be worthwhile if only to avoid the inevitable splattering of the stovetop method.
Provided by Alison Roman
Categories jams, jellies and preserves
Time 3h
Yield About 4 cups
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Combine apples, vinegar, allspice berries (if using), cinnamon sticks (if using), ginger (if using), star anise pod (if using) and 4 cups water in a large, heavy bottomed pot over high heat. Bring to a simmer and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples are completely softened and the liquid has reduced by half, 30 to 40 minutes. (Some pieces of apple might float at first; they will sink and become submerged as they soften.) Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
- Leaving behind allspice berries, cinnamon sticks and star anise pod, pass the apples through a food mill. (Alternatively, working in batches, ladle apples into a strainer or colander, and using a ladle, wooden spoon or spatula, press apples to pass pulp through, leaving behind seeds and skin.)
- To finish on the stovetop: Place apple pulp in the same large, heavy-bottomed pot, add granulated sugar and light brown sugar and stir to dissolve. Cook on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture is thick, glossy and a deep golden brown (somewhere between honey and molasses), 2 to 2 1/2 hours. (Around the 1 1/2-hour mark, things will start to bubble rather violently. Stirring constantly will help, but expect, and be careful of, a few splatters.) To test the thickness, spoon a bit onto a plate: The mixture should set almost immediately with no spreading or wateriness. If it's not there yet, cook another 8 to 10 minutes and test again. When the desired consistency is reached, season with kosher salt.
- To finish in the oven: Heat oven to 300 degrees. Place apple pulp in a 9-inch by 13-inch (3-quart) baking dish, add granulated sugar and light brown sugar and stir to dissolve. Place in oven and let cook, stirring every 30 minutes or so, until mixture is thick, glossy and a deep, golden brown color (somewhere between honey and molasses), 3 to 3 1/2 hours. To test the thickness, spoon a bit onto a plate: The mixture should set almost immediately with no spreading or wateriness. If it's not there yet, cook another 20 to 30 minutes and test again. When the desired consistency is reached, season with kosher salt.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 311, UnsaturatedFat 0 grams, Carbohydrate 80 grams, Fat 0 grams, Fiber 5 grams, Protein 1 gram, SaturatedFat 0 grams, Sodium 19 milligrams, Sugar 72 grams
APPLE BUTTER (OVEN ROASTED)
When I was a little girl, we had a yard full of fruit trees. There was a wonderful apple tree in our yard that gave us a grand yield every year. From this tree we made apple pies, apple turnovers, and an oven roasted apple butter that was just delicious beyond reason. I believe the buttery texture that this recipe yields comes...
Provided by Angel Slave
Categories Other Sauces
Time 3h30m
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- 1. Place apples and vinegar in large stainless stell pot with 2 cups water. Cover, and bring to a boil. reduce heat to medium, and cook 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until apples have applesauce-like consistency. Run mixture through food mill or press through sieve to separate pulp from skin and seeds; discard skin and seeds. transfer pulp (you should have about 5 cups) to large ovenproof dish or Dutch oven.
- 2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Stir remaining ingredients into apple pulp. Bake 2 to 2 1/2 hours, or until apple butter thickens to a spreadable consistency, stirring every 15 minutes.
- 3. Meanwhile, sterilize jars and lids. Submerge jars in large pot filled halfway with simmering water, and lids in a small pot of simmering water. Keep jars and lids in hot water until ready to use
- 4. Remove jars one at a time from hot water, and fill with jam, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Seal with Remove jars one at a time from hot water, and fill with jam, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Seal with lids. Place canning rack or cake rack in bottom of large pot, and return sealed jars to pot, adding extra water to cover jars by 1 inch, if necessary. Bring to a boil, and boil 10 minutes. Remove jars from water, and cool
- 5. We discovered the oven method quite by accident one My dad discovered the oven method accidentally one year. He was planning to make apple butter and my mom had the stove tied up. When it came time to make the apple butter - my father shoved the pulp in the oven and was delighted to discover how quickly it cooked. We never made it stove-top again
BAKED APPLES
Dessert ready in 50 minutes! Choose to bake or microwave these delicious apples - a wonderful treat.
Provided by By Betty Crocker Kitchens
Categories Dessert
Time 50m
Yield 4
Number Of Ingredients 4
Steps:
- Heat oven to 375°F.
- Core apples to within 1/2 inch of bottom. Peel 1-inch strip of skin from around middle of each apple, or peel upper half of each apple to prevent splitting. Place apples in ungreased glass baking dish.
- Place 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 teaspoon butter and 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon in center of each apple. Sprinkle with additional cinnamon. Pour water into baking dish until 1/4 inch deep.
- Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until apples are tender when pierced with a fork. (Time will vary depending on size and variety of apple.) Spoon syrup in dish over apples several times during baking if desired.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 200, Carbohydrate 39 g, Cholesterol 10 mg, Fat 1/2, Fiber 5 g, Protein 0 g, SaturatedFat 2 g, ServingSize 1 Serving, Sodium 25 mg, Sugar 28 g, TransFat 0 g
Tips:
- Choose the right apples: Use a variety of apples that are good for baking, such as Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Braeburn. These apples will hold their shape well and won't turn to mush when cooked.
- Peel and core the apples: This is a necessary step to prevent the apple skins from toughening up and the cores from adding a bitter flavor to the apple butter.
- Roast the apples: Roasting the apples in the oven before cooking them on the stovetop helps to caramelize the sugars and develop a deep, rich flavor.
- Use a slow cooker: A slow cooker is a great way to make apple butter because it allows the apples to cook low and slow, which helps to develop the flavor and prevent the apple butter from burning.
- Add spices and flavorings: You can add a variety of spices and flavorings to your apple butter, such as cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, or cloves. You can also add a bit of brown sugar or honey to taste.
Conclusion:
Apple butter is a delicious and versatile condiment that can be used in a variety of ways. It can be spread on toast or crackers, used as a filling for pies and pastries, or added to yogurt or oatmeal. It's also a great way to use up extra apples. With a little time and effort, you can easily make your own apple butter at home. So next time you have a lot of apples on hand, give this recipe a try!
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