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Do IT this week: Layering
No stirring necessary for modern version that is perfect for holidays
By Alicia Ross, with Beverly Mills
United Feature Syndicate
Published on Wednesday, Oct 31, 2007
Fall means apple season, and to these Southern girls, apple season means apple butter. Our grandmothers would simmer pots of it all day, drawing us into the kitchen with the amazing aromas. Jars of the homemade goodness would make their way into gift baskets and onto the family breakfast table all year long. We wondered whether we could duplicate that memory for our own children and friends.
Thanks to the slow cooker, we can. The extra bonus is that the constant stirring our grandmothers endured is not necessary because of the slow, even heat from the appliance.
Apple butter truly is as easy as one, two, three using the slow cooker. Here's how:
Peel, core and dice the apples (which typically takes 15 minutes), and place them in the slow cooker with the sugar and cinnamon for 10 hours.
Uncover the pot for 2 more hours, stirring halfway through this last cooking phase.
Let the apple butter cool, and place it in airtight containers to refrigerate or freeze.
Apple butter is delicious on toast, biscuits, croissants or any other bread you'd enjoy with fruit preserves. The deep brown color comes from the sugar in the apples caramelizing during the slow-cooking process and also gives the spread its characteristic rich flavor.
With the holidays just around the corner, the extra batches in the freezer make for easy homemade hostess, teacher and neighbor gifts. Of course, there's plenty for the family, too.
AMAZING APPLE BUTTER
5 lbs. Granny Smith apples (about 10 large apples)
2 cups granulated sugar
1-1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
Peel, core and coarsely dice the apples, placing them in the crock of a 6-quart slow cooker. Add sugar and cinnamon. Cover and cook on low for 10 hours.
Uncover and continue to cook on low heat for another 2 hours or until desired consistency is achieved. Most large chunks of the apple should dissolve and the overall effect will be like soft, slightly grainy butter. (Cook's note: If you have an automatic slow cooker, you'll need to reset the timer for 2 more hours on low. The ''warm'' setting is not sufficient to finish the apple butter.)
Allow the apple butter to cool before placing in airtight containers. Refrigerate or freeze until ready to use. It keeps covered and sealed in the refrigerator for up to a week, in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw frozen apple butter in the refrigerator before using.
Makes 6 cups.
Cook's note: This recipe was tested using a Rival brand 6-quart Crock-Pot. Cooking times may vary slightly for other brands of slow cookers.
Each tablespoon has about 26 calories (1 percent from fat), trace fat (none saturated), no cholesterol, no protein, 7 grams carbohydrates, trace fiber, no sodium.
Send desperate tales of woe or everyday success stories and your favorite quick recipes to:
Desperation Dinners
c/o United Media
200 Madison Ave.
New York, N.Y. 10016
Or visit http://www.desperationdinners.com.
Beverly Mills is a former food editor for the Miami Herald. Alicia Ross is a former food columnist for the Raleigh News & Observer.
Fall means apple season, and to these Southern girls, apple season means apple butter. Our grandmothers would simmer pots of it all day, drawing us into the kitchen with the amazing aromas. Jars of the homemade goodness would make their way into gift baskets and onto the family breakfast table all year long. We wondered whether we could duplicate that memory for our own children and friends.
Get the full article here.
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