Apples and Pears, Oh My! Part 2

This is the second part of my fruit butter adventures.  The apple butter follows approximately the same process as the pear, but because there was less juice in the fruit, the water evaporated a little faster.  It came out tart, and the cinnamon is not overpowering.  I did not find a need to add sugar, but you can add sugar when it is done cooking if you want a sweeter product.

Yes, the skin is that red without added dye.

Cinnamon Apple Butter

~20 of your favorite apple sauce apples

1/4-1/2 cup real lemon juice

Organic Apple Juice - no sugar added  (I used Apple and Eve brand)

2 tbsp. cinnamon

1. Peel, core, and chop up apples.  Use lemon juice to minimize oxidation while you work.
2. Put in crock-pot.  You should go no higher than within an inch of the top.  I used a 5.5 quart crock-pot.
3. Add enough apple juice to reach the top level of pears, but you do not need to cover. You can add some water if you do not have quite enough juice.
4. Cook on low for up to 19 hours (assuming that you are sleeping or out of the house, otherwise you can use high).  Make sure to prop the lid slightly open to vent and let out moisture.  If you are doing a smaller batch, you can reduce time accordingly.  The whole mixture should reduce by about 1/3 before making your puree. 
5. Run through a food mill or blender, and return sauce to crock-pot.  Add the cinnamon.
6. Reduce by at least half or until you have a spreadable fruit sauce that is not runny.  You can use high or low depending on if you will be there to watch it.  (I ran it low in the evening and overnight because there was less juice in this sauce than in the pear.)
7. Store in airtight containers in freezer or fridge.  

Apples ready to go.

The Next Morning

6PM the Next Evening - The pieces sticking to the side will bend in without difficulty. 

As you can see, there is less juice at this point than was in the pear butter.  

The Food Mill

Finished Apple Butter