Spring has finally sprung, which means sunshine and good times are upon us. Here is a recipe for Grandma Shirley’s famous apple butter, meant to be enjoyed on the best of picnics and study dates in the quad. Spread this delicious creation on anything from rolls
and biscuits and its promised to bring a bit of sweet tang to any afternoon.
Ingredients
• 4 lbs of good cooking Granny Smith apples
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 cups water
• Sugar (about 4 cups)
• Salt
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• Grated rind and juice of 1 lemon
Preparing the Fruit
1. Cut the apples into quarters, without peeling or coring them
2. Put them into large pot, add the vinegar and water, cover, bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer, cook until apples are soft, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat.
Measure out the purée and add the sugar and spices
3. Ladle apple mixture into a food mill and using a pestle force pulp into a large bowl below. Measure resulting puree. Add 1/2 cup of sugar for each cup of apple pulp. Stir to dissolve sugar. Add a dash of salt, and the cinnamon, ground cloves, allspice, lemon rind and juice. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.
Second Stage of Cooking
4. Cook uncovered in a large, wide, thick-bottomed pot on medium low heat, stirring constantly to prevent burning. Scrape the bottom of the pot while you stir to make sure a crust is not forming at the bottom. Cook until thick and smooth (about 1 to 2 hours).
— As an alternative to stove cooking the puree you can cook uncovered in a microwave, on medium heat to simmer, for around 30 minutes.
Canning
5. Pour into hot, sterilized jars and seal.
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