Apple Butter

Ingredients:

15 pounds early-season apples (Gala or Jonathan), peeled & quartered

3/4 cup cider vinegar

5 1/3 cups packed brown sugar

4 cups granulated sugar

2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon extract

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1 cup red-hot candies

1 cup boiling water

Directions:

Place apples and vinegar in a stockpot; cover and cook over medium heat for 30-40 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Cool slightly. Process mixture in a food processor in batches until all is blended. Return all to the pan.

Add the two sugars, cinnamon, salt, extract, cloves and allspice. Dissolve red-hots in boiling water; stir into apple mixture. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 2 hours or until mixture reaches a thick, spreadable consistency.

To test doneness of apple butter, spoon a small quantity of cooked mixture onto a chilled plate. The butter is ready to ladle into jars and process when the mixture does not separate and holds its shape and when the texture is of spreading consistency.

Carefully ladle the hot mixture into hot sterilized 1-pint jars, leaving 1/4" headspace. Remove air bubbles; wipe the rims and adjust lids. Process for 5 minutes in a boiling-water canner.

Yields: 8 pints