Saturday, January 4, 2014

Carnival Caramel Apple Butter Recipe

Carnival Caramel Apple Butter
This recipe can make between 6 and 9 ½ pints 250 ml jars depending on how thick you cook it down

Hot pack, use water bath canner.  
8 lbs apples (boil in water if fresh, boil in apple cider if older)
2 ¼ cup brown sugar
2 ¼ cup white sugar
Half the sugar goes into the apple mix and half will be caramelized and then added into the apple mix.
2 tbsp lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp ground cinnamon
½ tbsp all spice
½ tbsp nutmeg (optional)
2 tbsp grated or minced fresh ginger-root – peeled
Remove core and seeds of apples.  You can peel or leave apple skin on as per taste (we left it on).
Cut up apples – the finer you chop them the less time it takes to break them down, so small pieces means less cooking time.
Place diced apples into large saucepan.  Add water or apple cider.  Bring to boil and cook until apples are soft.  (You can add 1 to 2 tsp cider vinegar if you are not adding lemon juice).  Continue cooking for 15 to 20 minutes.
Drain water/apple cider
Mash apples, use food mill if you have one.  Pulp apples as smooth as possible.  There should be about 12 cups of apple pulp.
In a separate saucepan heat 2 to 2 ¼ cups sugar (mix white and brown) over medium heat until sugar melts and turns golden brown.  This happens very quickly once it starts, be ready to quickly add the caramelized sugar to the apple pulp.  The caramel will harden and then melt in when apple mix is cooking down.
Add remaining sugar, gingerroot, cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg (if using).
Cook down on low (simmer) until apple mix is thick and brown.  Stir often.  (I have been known to cook it all day)
Once apple mix has cooked down and you are about to put into jars add the lemon juice (and stir) then add to jars.  Use nonmetallic utensil to remove air bubbles.  
Leave ¼ inch headspace.  Clean jar rim, put lid on.  Apply screw band securely and firmly until resistance is met, fingertip tight.  do not overtighten.  Place jar in canner; repeat for remaining.  Make sure the jars are completely covered with water.  

Cover canner; bring water to a boil.  At altitudes up to 1,000 ft (305 m), process (boiling filled jars) for  ½ pints or pints water bath for 5 min.  For quarts water bath for 10 min.  Once time is up, turn off the heat, let jars sit in the water for about 5 min.  

Remove jars without tilting.  Cool upright, undisturbed 24 hrs; do not re-tighten screw bands.  After cooling check jar seals.  Sealed lids curve downward.  Remove screw bands; wipe and dry bands and jars.  Store screw bands separately or replace loosely on jars, as desired.  Label and store jars in a cool, dark place.


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