Apple Butter

Ingredients

• nearly two gallons of cider
• one tablespoonful of cinnamon
• one-third of a teaspoonful of ground cloves
• Apples pared, cored, cut, and boiled

Method

1. 1

   Pare, core, and cut apples, then boil in sweet cider until it becomes a dark, rich pulp and the cider is reduced by half.

2. 2

   Stir continually to prevent burning.

3. 3

   Add spices to taste when boiling hot.

4. 4

   Store in barrels, stone pots, or butter firkins.

As published

This recipe was extracted from Harper's cook book encyclopædia (1902), page 321. The excerpt below is the record exactly as published.

Apple Butter PRESERVES, ETC Apple Butter PRESERVES, JAMS, MARMALADES, FRUIT JELLIES, ETC. First of all the range fire should be permitted to go out and a gas-stove, or one for gasoline, or even kerosene, substituted. The expense of one of these is small, and it will be saved in the cost of coal and wood in a few days’ time, while the saving of ex- haustion from heat is incalculable. Then, if you have old-fashioned cans with metal tops, you will do well to lay in a supply of the newer ones, which have the glass covers and the tighter and simpler fastenings ; the old ones need not be thrown away, but kept for the richest of the preserved fruit, which is not hurt by a possible admission of air. Next, see to your rubbers. Economy here is impossi- ble, for, once used, every rubber loses its elasticity and becomes untrustwor- thy ; have a new band for every can. The preserving-kettle should be of iron, porcelain lined; the agate ones sometimes used are better than tin, certainly, but they, too, may burn, while the iron will not. Have several wooden spoons, a wooden pestle — a potato-masher will do — a cup with an easy handle, pans for holding sugar, and a simple and accurate scale for weighing, and your utensils are ready. Home-made preserves are both a con- venience and a luxury. They require time and labor at the warmest sea- son of the year, but when well made they are superior to those bought at the stores, and much more econom- ical. Fruit should be almost, but not ab- solutely ripe, fresh, sound, and dry. Use the best sugar. If the syrup is to be clear, clarify it by putting two quarts of sugar with one quart of wa+?r, into which stir the whites of two eggs which have been beaten light, but not to a froth. Heat slow- ly, stirring frequently until it boils, then let it simmer half an hour, when the white sgpm can be removed. The juice of the fruit may be used instead of water. Many cooks add a little lemon- juice to pear, plum, and crab-apple preserves. A syrup made from the juice of acid fruits (currants, green grapes, etc.) is frequently used to preserve sweet fruits — strawber- ries, apples, pears, etc. If a quantity of syrup is left over it may be used to make jelly. The question of covering jellies or jams is one to be considered. The old way was to use a layer of thin paper dipped in brandy, and then a cover of thicker paper, pasted down. The newer method is to pour melted paraffin over the jellies without any pa- per whatever. But while paraffin pre- vents the admission of air if it is per- fect, it will slip up the side of the glass if that is tipped, and it is quite sure to be, in putting it on the closet shelf; then, too, mice are especially fond of paraffin, and one nibble destroys the entire cover. The best plan is to com- bine the two ways. Cover the jelly or jam with paraffin first, and then paste paper over the top, and you may feel secure that it will not shrink or lose its freshness from first to last. Apple Butter. — Apples pared, cored, cut, and boiled in sweet cider till the whole is a dark, rich pulp and the cider is reduced one-half. To prevent burning stir continually No sugar Is needed, for the fruit furnishes its own sweetness. Half the apples may be sour and half sweet or all sweet, as one likes. It takes nearly two gallons of cider to make one of apple butter, and spices are added, or not, to taste, the rule being one table-spoonful of cinnamon and one-third of a tea- spoonful of ground clov

Cook this with the app: pantry check, scaling, and the assistant.