HOMEMADE APPLE BUTTER

Homemade Apple Butter image

Provided by Valerie Bertinelli

Categories dessert

Time 4h55m

Yield about 3 cups

Number Of Ingredients 9

3 1/2 pounds mixed apples, peeled, cored and chopped into 3/4-inch pieces
2 cups apple cider, preferably unfiltered
3/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Combine the apples, cider, sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, cloves and salt in a Dutch oven or large, heavy pot and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, partially covered, until the apples are very tender, about 25 minutes. Turn off the heat and puree using an immersion blender or in batches in a regular blender (be careful when blending hot liquids).
Transfer the pot to the oven. Bake, uncovered, stirring every 20 minutes so that the bottom does not burn, until the mixture is very thick and a rich brown caramel color, about 3 hours. Cool completely.