The Kaufmans' Apple Butter

The Kaufmans’ apple butter is the kind of weekend recipe that fills the house with the smell of autumn for half a day and rewards the patience with jars of dark, spiced spread that lasts well into winter. The technique is old-school Pennsylvania Dutch: cook apples down to applesauce, reduce apple cider to a syrup, then combine and simmer for 2 to 3 hours until the whole thing turns mahogany and glossy.

The cider reduction is the move that separates true apple butter from sweetened applesauce. Cooking 8 cups of apple cider down on high heat concentrates the sugars and tannins until the cider becomes almost a syrup, which is what gives the finished butter its deep, almost caramel-like flavor and dark color.

Unpeeled apples are the right call. The peels add pectin (which helps the spread set) and color (which gives the finished butter its rosy-brown hue). Pressing through a food mill or cone colander after cooking strains out the peels and seeds while keeping all the flavor.

Water-bath canning preserves the butter for shelf storage; freezing or refrigeration work for shorter-term keeping.

Pro Tips

• Use Jonathan, Granny Smith, or other tart cooking apples. Sweet eating apples (Red Delicious) make flat, one-note butter.
• Don’t peel the apples. The peels carry pectin that helps the butter thicken naturally without added gelling agents.
• Stir frequently during the long simmer. Apple butter scorches at the bottom of the pot if left unattended for more than 10 minutes.
• Test for doneness by spooning a small amount onto a chilled plate. If no liquid weeps from the edges, the butter is done.

Variations

• Add 1 tablespoon of cinnamon, ½ teaspoon of cloves, and ¼ teaspoon of allspice for a traditional spiced apple butter.
• Stir in 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice at the end for a brighter, less cloying spread.
• Use a 50/50 mix of apples and pears for a softer, more delicate butter.