Linda Amendt had one in her Blue Ribbon preserves - though I wouldn't recommend most of her recipes since they aren't tested (and she adds liquid pectin to *everything*, incl. the Caramel Apple Butter).

But if you can find her recipe (I returned the book to the library), I think you'd be pretty safe making it (maybe without the pectin!) since it's just apples and sugar like normal apple butter, the technique is a little different to get the caramel.

Linda Ziedrich has a Caramel-Apple Jam in her book if you want the recipe. You could probably just cook the apples longer (b4 adding them to the caramel?) to get apple butter.

Or you could post a recipe you want to try and someone more experienced than I could take a look...

The recipe I was thinking of when I referred to technique was Linda Z's, not Linda A's. Though that one sounded good too, without the pectin. Here's Linda Z's (from The Joy of Jams):

Caramel-Apple Jam

3.5 lbs tart apples, cored and sliced (unpeeled)
3.5C sugar
1/2C water
1 Tbsp lemon juice
3 Tbsp brandy (optional)
1 tsp vanilla extract

In a preserving pan, cook the apples over low heat, covered, until soft, about 20 minutes. If they are dense, you may need to add a little water or cider at the start to keep them from scorching.

Puree the apples using the medium screen of a food mill or sieve.

Clean and dry the preserving pan, and combine in it 2C of the sugar, the (3.5C) water, and the lemon juice. Without stirring or shaking the pan, bring the syrup to a boil and gently boil until the water has evaporated and the syrup has turned golden brown. Remove the pan from heat immediately, before the caramel darkens.

Add the apple puree to the caramel, which will harden at first and then begin to dissolve. Add the remaining 1.5C sugar and stir over low heat until the sugar and caramel have completely dissolved. Raise the heat to medium-high and bring the jam to a boil. Continue boiling, stirring often, for 8-10 minutes, until the jam is thick enough that your spoon briefly leaves a clear track at the bottom of the pan.

Remove the pan from heat. Stir in the brandy if you are using, and the vanilla. Ladle into pint or halfpint jars. Process 10 minutes in a BWB.

I would try making this and see if it's thick enough for you before deciding whether to cook it longer. I'd be afraid that cooking it much longer after the caramel and sugar are added would make it scorch and lose the caramel flavor, but I don't know.

She says that you can start with applesauce instead of apples if you want, 5C of applesauce (I assume unsweetened) added to the caramel and then proceed from there.

I make my apple butter in the crockpot, just remove stems and blossom ends, quarter and then cut off the "points" to remove the cores. Cook for hours (add 1/2C to 1C apple juice or cider at first), then puree using a food mill over the preserving pan. Then I add the spices or maple syrup, sugar and cook down. This could be done the same way, but I would make the puree thicker than usual since I usually cook it more than 10 minutes after adding the sugar, I can't say how long b/c it depends on how long it had cooked in the slow cooker. But I'd say get your puree almost as thick as the apple butter you want, b/c 10 minutes isn't very long.

HTH

I will try that one it sounds great! One additional question if I may? I went overboard on the applesauce... To say the least. Can i use previously canned apple sauce to make butter or jam or do I need to start fro the top?

Since she says "if you have applesace in your pantry" I'm assuming canned (homemade or commercial) is fine, but if it's sweetened you want to cut down on the sugar in the last step.

Did you make it? I want to try this soon (have to make quince jelly first with the juice in my fridge, but then really have to get to the apples).