Thank you so much to Mary Jane of Mary Jane’s Cooking School for facilitating a great workshop on Friday evening – we learned how to make and can apple butter, and how to make apple leather in the oven!

Here’s the recipe for delicious apple butter:

4 lbs tart apples, quartered

2 cups granulated sugar

3 tablespoons lemon juice*

1 teaspoon cinnamon or to taste

Remove stems and blossom ends from apples before cutting into quarters.  Place in large pot including seeds, core and peeling.  Add sugar, lemon juice and cinnamon.  Stir.  Let stand until apples release some juice. Cover.  Heat slowly.  Bring to a boil.  Cook gently, uncovered stirring often, until apples are tender.

Press through a food mill.  Turn pulp into a small enamel roaster.  Bake uncovered in 425 F (160 C) oven stirring every 30 minutes, until thick about 2 to 2 ½ hours.  To test for doneness, cool a teaspoon on a chilled saucer.  It should stay smooth. 

This may also be cooked in a large pot on top of the stove stirring often.  Pour into hot sterilized half pint jars to within ¼ inch from the top.  Place sterilized metal lids on jars and screw metal bands on securely.  For added assurance against spoilage, you may choose to process for 5 minutes in a boiling water bath.  Makes 4 half pints or 2 pints.

Enjoy apple butter on loaves and pancakes!

*fresh or bottled lemon juice can be used but fresh has better flavour and has no additives