Tangy-sweet apples and ripe orchard pears are slow-simmered until thick and bubbling-hot. Flavored with apple cider, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves, this easy-to-prepare variation on traditional apple butter will be a hit with everyone.
Why Try? You’ll fill the house with the comforting aroma of homemade apple pear butter simmering on the stove. What could be better on an early autumn day?
Make sure pears are completely ripe to avoid a grainy texture. For maple-infused apple-pear butter, alternate 1 cup of cider in recipe with 1 cup of maple syrup and add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
Wonderful spooned over French toast or waffles.
Stir a dollop of apple pear butter into warm oatmeal for a comforting breakfast.
Makes 8 pints.
Ingredients
- 6 ripe pears (about 4 lbs.)
- 6 fresh apples (about 2 lbs.)
- 4 cups apple cider
- 2 cups dark brown sugar, packed
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Preparation
- 1 Quarter the fruit (do not peel) and core. Dice into large chunks. Place the fruit and apple cider in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring frequently, for 30 to 40 minutes, or until fruit is very soft when pierced with a knife.
- 2 Remove the pan from heat; add brown sugar, spices and lemon juice and stir to blend.
- 3 Puree mixture until very smooth in food processor fitted with a steel blade.
- 4 Return the mixture to the saucepan; simmer over low heat, stirring frequently, for 15 to 30 minutes, or until thickened to desired consistency.
- 5 Cool. Pour into jars, cover tightly and refrigerate for up to 30 days.
