Homemade Apple Butter

There's an apple orchard in Kent, so Joe and I went and bought a peck of apples. The ones that were recommended for apple butter were Swedish Gourmet because they will cook down all the way into a puree rather than an apple-sauce type of thing. In fact, they ended up cooking down to an apple sauce consistency, so I just pureed it before jarring. I split the process in half and got 4 pint jars both times, so from 1 peck of apples, you should get 8 pints of apple butter. Lucky you!

One of my favorite things about the end of the summer is harvesting and canning. It's something we've been doing in my family for a long time, and I got to take a stab at it solo this year :)



Makes 4 pints
Ingredients:

• 1/2 peck of apples, peeled, cored, cubed
• 2 c brown sugar, unpacked
• 4 sticks cinnamon, broken/crushed
• 2 T allspice, whole
• 1/2 t nutmeg, ground
• 1/2 t ground cinnamon
• 1/4 c apple cider vinegar

Directions:
1. I like to create a spice sack so that I can use the whole spices and let it simmer. To do this, just cut out a 4"x4" piece of cheese cloth (I left it doubled up, so it was sturdier). Place your spices (whole and ground) in the center, then tie it up with a string.






2. Once you've peeled, cored and cubed the apples most of the work is over with. You'll just need to put the apples into a stock pot over low heat, add the apple cider vinegar, brown sugar and your spice pack and give it a stir.

3. Cover and let simmer over low heat for 3 hours. Come back occasionally to stir it. At first it will cook down to apple-sauce (I set some aside when it was still apple sauce for my lunch the next day). Keep cooking until hopefully it turns into apple butter. If it doesn't, you can do what I did.

Apple Sauce

Dark in color, very very soft = ready for apple butter.

4. If needed, blend it on a low speed ("puree" setting) for 30 seconds.

It will start out looking pulpy

and end up looking smooth.

5. If you've blended it while the apple butter is still hot, pour it straight into the jars and put the lids on. The cooling process will cause the lids to form the air tight seal that you're looking for. If you waited until it cooled to puree, heat it back up in the stock pot and then pour it off.

French Apple Tart

I’m in a cooking club at work and our challenge this month was to make something French. I’ve always been intimated by French recipes, but I thought I could handle a (relatively) simple dessert.

And voila! French apple tart made in about two and a half hours.

I adapted this recipe. God bless Ina Garten.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/french-apple-tart-recipe/index.html

Ingredients

For the pastry:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1 tablespoon sugar

• 12 tablespoons (11/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, diced

• 1/2 cup ice water

For the apples:

• 3-4 Granny Smith apples

• ¼ to 1/2 cup sugar

• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, small diced

• 1/2 cup apricot jelly or jam

• 2 tablespoons rum or water

Make the pastry first.

1. Place flour, salt and sugar in a bowl, mix. If you have a large food processor, like Ina’s recipe says, follow her from here on out. If you don’t, follow me. :)

2. Dice the butter as tiny as you can without it melting on you. Combine with dry mixture.

3. Mush together and get the butter into as tiny pieces as possible. A fork is best, combined with your hands. Move quickly though, as you don’t want the butter to completely melt.

4. Slowly add ice water. Do not over mix.

5. Place on floured surface, meld into a ball.

6. Place in plastic wrap and let sit in the fridge for about an hour.

An hour later …

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

2. On a floured surface, roll out the dough. Feel free to add more flour to the mixture if necessary to make the right shape.

3. I made mine into a rectangle, but feel free to make it into a circle or whatever shape you want.

4. Place on parchment-paper baking sheet. Quickly place in fridge.

Apple time ….

1. Peel the apples, cut them in half through the stem.

2. Remove the stems and cores with a sharp knife and a melon baler. Be careful – this can get a bit dicey.

3. Slice the apples crosswise in about 1/4-inch thick slices.

4. Take your pastry out of the fridge and lay the apples on top. I started in one corner, went diagonal to the other corner and made a cross. But do whatever you think looks pretty.

5. Sprinkle with sugar.

6. Dice your remaining butter and sprinkle across the tart.

7. Bake for 45 minutes to one hour. You want it to the browned. Ina recommends rotating the pan once during cooking. She also says … “If the pastry puffs up in one area, cut a little slit with a knife to let the air out. Don't worry! The apple juices will burn in the pan but the tart will be fine!” How reassuring. :)

8. Once your tart is done, heat the apricot jelly together with the rum or water and brush the apples and the pastry completely with the mixture. Lightly loosen the tart with a spatula so it doesn't stick to the paper.

9. Allow to cool. Serve either warm or at room temperature.