Apple Butter

Apple Butter recipe

• 1 2/3 lbs(750 g) cooking apples
• 2 ½ cups (625 ml) cider
• white sugar as needed
• ½ tsp (2.5 ml) ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp (2.5 ml) ground cloves
• grated rind of ½ lemon

1. Wash, quarter and core apples, but do not remove skins. Place in large pan with cider. Bring to a boil. Simmer gently until apples turn pulpy.
2. Pass apples and cider through a sieve. Discard residue. Measure quantity of fruit puree and add 1 ½ cups (375 ml) white sugar for each 2 ½ cups (625 ml) puree. Return puree and sugar to pan.
3. Add spices and lemon rind. Stir puree over low heat until sugar dissolves. Stir constantly until mixture is very thick, creamy and almost solid.
4. Place in heated, sterilized jars. Seal and cool.