Candy Apple Butter Recipes

Steps:

• In a stockpot, combine apples and vinegar; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 30-40 minutes or until tender. Remove from heat; cool slightly. Process in batches in a food processor until blended. Return all to pan., Add brown sugar, sugar, cinnamon, salt, extract, cloves and allspice. Dissolve red-hots in boiling water; stir into apple mixture., Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 2 hours or until mixture reaches a thick, spreadable consistency. , Remove from heat. Carefully ladle hot mixture into eight hot sterilized 1-pint jars, leaving 1/4-in. headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if necessary, by adding hot mixture. Wipe rims. Center lids on jars; screw on bands until fingertip tight. , Place jars into canner with simmering water, ensuring that they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil; process for 5 minutes. Remove jars and cool.

Steps:

• 1. Special tools: large, heavy-bottomed pan, sieve In a large, heavy-bottomed pan (such as cast iron), bring the cider to a boil. Cook it down to 2 1/2 cups. Add apples and simmer until they are mushy and no longer watery, about 2 hours. Push apple mixture through a sieve into a large bowl, removing any apple skin and lumps. Measure the apple mixture in cups and put back in the pot. For every 1 cup of pulp, add 1/2 cup sugar. Then, add ground cinnamon and candies. Cook uncovered on medium heat for 6 to 8 hours, stirring occasionally, until mixture becomes thick. The apple butter should be a reddish-brown color.

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; butter parchment, and set aside. In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine sugar, 3/4 cup water, corn syrup, and food coloring, if using. Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat to medium-high. Insert candy thermometer and continue to boil until temperature reaches between 300 degrees and 310 degrees (hard crack stage), about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, insert a wooden stick into the top of each apple, pushing about halfway through; set aside. When mixture reaches temperature, immediately remove from heat. Working quickly, dip apples in sugar mixture until completely coated. Transfer to prepared baking sheet; allow to cool.

Steps:

• Combine apples and apple juice in a stockpot; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook at a simmer until apples are soft and mushy, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Spoon apples into a food mill and process into puree while discarding the cores and peels remaining in the mill. Transfer process apples to a slow cooker.
• Cook on High with the lid off until the moisture evaporates and the volume reduces by about half, overnight to 24 hours.
• Stir sugar, apple cider vinegar, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice through the apple puree.
• Continue cooking on High until mixture mounds on a chilled plate without any water separating from the edges, another 2 to 6 hours.
• Sterilize the jars and lids in boiling water for at least 5 minutes. Pack the apple butter into the hot, sterilized jars, filling the jars to within 1/4 inch of the top. Run a knife or a thin spatula around the insides of the jars after they have been filled to remove any air bubbles. Wipe the rims of the jars with a moist paper towel to remove any food residue. Top with lids, and screw on rings.
• Place a rack in the bottom of a large stockpot and fill halfway with water. Bring to a boil and lower jars into the boiling water using a holder. Leave a 2-inch space between the jars. Pour in more boiling water if necessary to bring the water level to at least 1 inch above the tops of the jars. Bring the water to a rolling boil, cover the pot, and process 5 to 10 minutes.
• Remove the jars from the stockpot and place onto a cloth-covered or wood surface, several inches apart, until cool. Once cool, press the top of each lid with a finger, ensuring that the seal is tight (lid does not move up or down at all). Store in a cool, dark area.