Apple Butter

It's time again for my next Daring Cooks' Challenge-one that I was very excited to try.  It was all about food preservation and how to get the most out of in-season produce. One of the options was to make apple butter.  Now, apple butter is one of those things that I've heard about, tasted only a few times and have never actually made. 

Apple butter also reminds me of my days in high school in Ohio.  When I was in high school, one of the neighboring towns held an Apple Butter Festival every October.  It was one of those old-fashioned, participants-dressing-in-19th-century-clothes, everyone-drinking-hot-apple-cider and sitting-on-hay-bales sort of fest.  The big difference there was that their apple butter was made in big black cauldrons over an open flame, churned mainly by ladies in aprons and bonnets, but they did give everyone a chance to churn the butter.

That was also when I realized there is no actual butter in apple butter.  It's just a consistency thing.  Basically, it's just a spiced and thickened apple sauce. It can be used for many different things.  The most basic is as a spread on toast or a bagel or whatever you'd like.  But you can also use it as a condiment with pork chops, as part of a marinade or in an apple quick bread.

Now, there probably won't be a big black cauldron over a fire in my kitchen in the near future, especially since we're renting right now.  All we've got here is an electric stove and an immersion blender, so that's how I'm going to roll with this.  I do have some notes though about this recipe.

• If you want to be a little more "authentic" about it, you can use the whole apple: core, peel and all that goodness.  Just chop the apples into eighths before softening them.  Once softened, put them in a food mill and mill away (I don't have one, so hence all the peeling and coring).  Add sugars and spices and continue with the rest of step 2.
• This recipe is suitable for canning.  I've never canned before, so I'm just going to freeze or give away what I can't use immediately.  But if you can can, more power to you!  I'll have a canning blog sometime in the future, once I have the equipment and have it figured out.
• I can't recommend which type of apples to use.  I just used the ones I bought from a lady selling them on the side of the road.  Seemed to work out pretty well.  But, from what I understand, if you use a sweet apple like Golden Delicious, you won't need to use as much sugar, tart apples like Granny Smith will require more sugar.

The September 2010 Daring Cooks’ challenge was hosted by John of Eat4Fun. John chose to challenge The Daring Cooks to learn about food preservation, mainly in the form of canning and freezing. He challenged everyone to make a recipe and preserve it. John’s source for food preservation information was from The National Center for Home Food Preservation.

Apple Butter

5 lbs Apples, peeled, cored and cut into eighths
1 C apple juice or cider
1 C sugar
1/2 C brown sugar
1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp ground cloves

1. Combine apples and juice (or cider) in 8-quart pot. Cook slowly and stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Cook until apples are very soft and falling apart.  At this point, you have some pretty tasty apple sauce.  If you want to stop here, you can, but if you continue on, you will be rewarded with tastiness...
2. With a potato masher, mash the soft apples.  Add the sugar and spice (and everything nice).  At this point I used a stick blender to blend to a smoother consistency.  If you would like it a little chunkier, by all means skip this step, but make sure to stir in all the spices well.
3. Bring to a simmer and turn down the heat to keep it at a slow simmer.  Cover with a splatter screen or use 2 wooden spoons to support the lid open.  It is important to let the water evaporate to thicken the butter. Simmer for at least 2 hours, until it is thick and stays mounded on a spoon when it is scooped out.
4. Let it cool a little, then put into the desired storage container or containers.  It will keep for up to 2 weeks in the fridge or up to a year in the freezer.  I would recommend using smaller containers if you don't think you will use up everything in a larger one fast enough.

Yields about 5 cups.

Puffed Apple Pancakes

This recipe is one of my favorite breakfast recipes ever for many reasons.  First, it tastes awesome, which is key.  The second is it's just so dang pretty as it comes out of the oven, all puffy and golden yumminess, that I feel like a kitchen genius every time I make it.  And last, but definitely not least, is that it is super easy.  Once I discovered this recipe I've made it pretty much every weekend since.  It is the staple Saturday morning breakfast for my husband and me every week.

My husband had to work this past Saturday, but did it stop me from making it?  Nope (sorry you missed out, Babe).  I biked on over to my friend Ashley's house and we made a little brunch ourselves with it.  I was so excited to share it with a new friend and she was excited about making it for her husband when he gets back.  That is what cooking is about to me, sharing the love.  And now I get to share it with all of you!

Just some quick notes about this recipe...It serves 4, but since it's just my husband and me, I always make half a recipe and it turns out great (the pictures here are also of a half-recipe).  You can use whatever kind of apple you have on hand.  I've used Gala, Pink Lady, Honey Crunch and Granny Smith (I think I used Ida Red in this recipe, but the sticker was in German so I'm not sure) they all work just as well.  I also just discovered when I was making this yesterday that it says to peel the apples first--totally missed that all the times I've made this recipe (which is A LOT).  So I guess what I'm saying, is that you don't actually have to peel them (although I think that it would make slicing it up a little neater). 

Puffed Apple Pancakes
    Adapted from Bon Appetit's Fast, Easy, Fresh Cookbook
    Click here for printable version

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
12 ounces Golden Delicious apples (about 2), peeled, cored, thinly sliced

1 cup whole milk
4 large eggs
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2/3 cup all purpose flour

3 tablespoons (packed) golden brown sugar

Preheat oven to 425°F.   While oven is heating, place butter in 13"x9" glass baking dish (if you're making a half-recipe, 8"x8" or a round baker works well, too).  Place dish in oven until butter melts, about 5 minutes.  Remove dish from oven.  Place apple slices in overlapping rows atop melted butter in baking dish.  Return to oven and bake until apples begin to soften slightly and butter is bubbling and beginning to brown around edges of dish, about 10 minutes (I also do this while the oven is still pre-heating, although it usually takes a bit longer).

Meanwhile, whisk milk, eggs, sugar, vanilla, salt, and cinnamon in large bowl until well blended.  Add flour and whisk until batter is smooth.

Pour batter over apples in dish and sprinkle with brown sugar.  Bake pancake until puffed and brown, about 20 minutes.  Gather family around to admire your puffy golden creation and dig in while it's still warm!

This is awesome with just a drizzle of real maple syrup or you can sprinkle with powdered sugar.  I think next time I may fry up some bacon or breakfast sausages, too!