Spiced Apple Butter

& an unapologetically indulgent autumnal sandwich

Guess what? I have a new hobby - foraging. Last week, on the way back from gathering rose hips, my family and I came upon an apple tree laden with fruit. Green with a red blush, the apples were ripe and ready for picking. And so we did.

As you know, I am currently in the UK and after this recent foraging success I thought it might be interesting to take a look at what is happening nationally in apple production.

I found it fascinating that although in recent times 70% of apples in the UK were imported, there has been increased interest in the call to develop British orchards and old varieties. This means that although approximately 40% of apples eaten in Britain today are now grown regionally, the hope is that this will increase to 60% by 2030. 

As usual, this weekend I’m going to my local farmers’ market, but this week I will be on the hunt for heirloom varieties such as: Worcester Pearmain, Egremont Russet, Cox’s Orange Pippin, the Alfriston and Laxton’s Superb, to name just a few. 

The making of something delicious

A favorite snack

I don’t know about you, but I often have snack fixations. Recently it has been sliced apple with crunchy peanut butter and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Doesn’t that sound good?! The only trouble with snack fixations is that there comes a point where something has to give. I still craved the sliced apples, but needed something sweeter, tangier -spiced apple butter to the rescue. Apple on apple! Now there’s a new focus.

Apple Butter

There are numerous approaches to making apple butter, a quick Google search yields a whopping 477,000,000 results, showcasing a diversity of methods. Fellow TikToker, Ali Hooke, keeps it straightforward by oven-cooking the apples without adding any extra ingredients. Although this technique is popular (and I will definitely try it at a later date), by now you know my penchant for tinkering and experimentation.

Although hardly a groundbreaking approach, I introduce a touch of lemon juice, spices, and a pinch of flaky salt. Simmering the apple butter on the stove fills the house with the delightful aroma of autumn, and on a lazy Sunday afternoon when the encroaching chill beckons us indoors, I quite enjoy whiling away a few hours meditatively stirring, chatting with family and sipping endless cups of tea. 

Foraged apples – a free gift

For the following recipe for spiced apple butter I used locally foraged apples, which, while charming, happened to be small and quite tart. If your apple variety is sweeter, you may require less sugar and maple syrup. As with all recipes, adjust to taste and trust your instincts for necessary additions.

Spiced Apple Butter 

Cooking time 2 - 2 hours 30 mins 

Ingredients:

3lbs 5ozs apples

½ tsp cinnamon

½ tsp nutmeg

½ -1 cup maple syrup (to taste)

½ -1 cup brown sugar (to taste)

¼ cup lemon juice 

Pinch of flaky salt

Method:

1. Begin by roughly chopping the apples. You have the option to peel them, but it's not mandatory.

2. In a large Dutch oven over low heat, gently cook the apples with a splash of water for approx. one hour. Stir the apples frequently but in between replace the lid to retain the moisture.

3. After an hour, add ¼ cup of lemon juice then continue to cook for an additional 30 minutes, with the lid slightly ajar.

4. Use an immersion blender to roughly blend the apples. Needless to say, this is a hot sticky liquid, so apply caution when using the blender.

5. Now, add maple syrup, brown sugar, and your chosen spices. Stirring intermittently, simmer for another hour, again with the lid slightly ajar.

6. Blend again until the mixture is completely smooth.

7. Strain the mixture through a sieve (this step is necessary, albeit somewhat tedious).

8. Allow the mixture to cool then decant into sterilized jars. Enjoy. 

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A delicious fig sandwich, with apple butter!

Leaning tower of sandwich

And before I go, (albeit I’m already late for dinner and my husband is standing at the door with his coat and shoes) I must tell you about an unapologetically indulgent sandwich that I made for lunch today. Follow these instructions for unbridled deliciousness. 

A pretty spectacular mise if you ask me

To commence, grab a piece of focaccia bread and slice horizontally. Of course, if you are an A -star student, you may even consider baking it from scratch. Next, generously slather one half with a layer of apple butter. Then, place a plump orb of creamy burrata on top, break it open and spread it to the edges, before scattering roughly chopped pistachios with abandon. Now, add slices of porchetta or your charcuterie of choice.

Now, here comes the fun part - add some jammy figs followed by a generous drizzle of honey (I ‘borrowed’ my father's walnut honey), and don't forget to season with a pinch of salt and pepper. To complete this masterpiece, drizzle extra virgin olive oil on the other half of the focaccia, and voilà, heaven awaits.

Apple Day

Tomorrow, in support of UK apple production, my husband and I are off to The Newt, Somerset, to take part in their Apple Day. With a red weather warning for Storm Babet, I hope our booking arrangements won’t have been in vain. Can’t wait to report back!