Apple Butter

  • Difficulty level : Easy
  • Type : Breakfast

The slower the better when cooking this unusual but tasty toast topper

Ingredients

  • 2kg cooking apples peeled, cored and roughly chopped
  • 450ml water 
  • cloves crushed
  • 1/2 nutmeg crushed
  • 10cm cinnamon stick broken
  • 5cm piece of fresh root ginger crushed
  • 1.35kg white granulated sugar 

Method

  1. Place the apples and water in a large heavy-bottomed pan, simmer for 50 minutes until the mixture turns to a thick pure.
  2. Place the spices and ginger onto a muslin square and, using kitchen string, loosely tie into a bag. Add the muslin bag and the sugar to the apple mixture and stir well. Simmer over a very low heat, stirring frequently to dissolve the sugar, for approx. 1½ hours until the pure is thick and dark.
  3. Test to see if it is ready ─ place a teaspoon of the mixture onto a cold plate and leave to cool. If ready, it will hold its shape.
  4. Remove the spice bag and carefully spoon the hot mixture into hot, sterilised jars and seal. Label and date jars once cold.