Apple butter

Ingredients for 1 servings:

• 2 kg apples
• 500 ml apple cider
• 1 lemon(s), juice
• 220 g sugar
• 1 ½ tsp cinnamon powder

Instructions

Working time approx. 20 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 3 hours; Total time approx. 3 hours 20 minutes

Applesauce according to an Amish recipe

Wash, quarter, core, and slice the apples. Place them in a large saucepan and pour in the cider. Bring the apples to a boil and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, until the apples are soft. Now either puree the apples in the pan with a hand blender or add them to a blender in batches and puree until smooth. Add the sugar, cinnamon, and lemon juice and mix well. Reduce the mixture to a simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally. This can take 2 to 4 hours. Please be careful: the mixture behaves like lava; it suddenly pops up and is very, very hot! I placed a lid on the pan at an angle and removed the pan from the heat before each stir. The apple mixture will gradually brown during the cooking process and is ready when it has turned a caramel color and noticeably thickened. Now the apple butter can be poured into boiled jam jars (turn them upside down for a few minutes after sealing) or into preserving jars. This amount is enough for 6 small jam jars. Apple butter tastes delicious with pancakes, on and in cakes, on cookies, or even on bread. If you like, you can add star anise, cloves, nutmeg, and/or ginger to the apple butter in addition to cinnamon.