Cooking apples, making applesauce from them using a food mill, and then thickening the applesauce to a spreadable consistency is how apple butter is prepared. Apple butter is a fantastic way to use fresh apples in the fall when they are plentiful because many pounds of apples just take up a few cups of apple butter. If you don't know how to finish that jar of apple butter, try using it in biscuits, ice cream, pancakes, and doughnuts. There are many uses of apple butter and countless possibilities, making it a must-have in your pantry.
Ingredients
•2.5kg sweet apples chopped into small pieces
•150g granulated sugar
•⅛ tsp ground cloves
•200g brown sugar
•1 vanilla bean
•¼ tsp salt
•1 tbsp ground cinnamon
Method
•Slice apples into 14" pieces, discarding the cores (you do not need to peel the apples).
•Apples should be put in the large slow cooker's bowl.
•Stir the sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and cloves together in a medium bowl until well blended.
•Apply sugar mixture to apple slices and blend thoroughly.
•Put the crockpot's lid on and let it simmer for 10 hours.
•After 10 hours, use an immersion blender to purée the apples until they are completely smooth and have no lumps left.
•Add the vanilla bean's inside by scraping it into the apple purée.
•Set crockpot to low heat and simmer, covered, for a further two hours. Stir regularly.
Important notes
•Use of Golden Delicious, McIntosh, Fuji, or Gala is advised. Granny Smiths are inappropriate for this dish because they are too sour and hard. Prior to chopping and coring your apples, weigh them.
•If you don't have an immersion blender, put the apples in a blender and puree them until they are smooth before adding them back to the slow cooker. The size of your blender may need you to work in batches.
•Apple butter can be frozen for up to several months or kept in the refrigerator for several weeks in an airtight container.