Apple butter not dark enough

16 years ago

This is my first time making apple butter. It tastes great and is thick but it isn't as dark as what I'm used to seeing. It is more of a golden brown than dark.

What am I doing wrong?

Also, what are cinnamon berries? I ran across an apple butter recipe that called for them.

Thanks for your help!

Jeanne

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (8)

mellyofthesouth
16 years ago
Did you use any kind of fruit fresh or lemon juice? I used some fruit fresh last year because the buggy apples I was using took so long to peel. It ended up tasting like apple butter, but looking like applesauce. Also, could it be that the variety of apples doesn't brown as much? I have noticed that some seem to brown much faster.
jcsgreenthumb
16 years ago
Hi,

No, the recipe I used just has apples, sugar and spices. I did reduce the sugar as my husband is diabetic and it seemed like a lot of sugar anyway.

Here is the recipe. I didn't add anything else (like lemon juice).

2 quarts apple pulp (I made this myself)
4 cups sugar
2 t ground cinnamon
1/4 t ground cloves

I am not sure the color matters all that much if it is the right consistency and tastes good, but just curious why others turn out so brown.

Thanks!

Jeanne
Related Discussions
Apple butter apples
Q
Comments (7)
Thanks Axel. I have a Gravenstein and knew I was taking a chance when I planted it. After seven seasons it has yet to produce, though it has had a few on the tree in years past that I failed to net before the birds and squirrels got them. Allington Pippin has produced a few apples the past two seasons and is in it's fourth season on G16 rootstock (Grav in on M111). It will probably be at least another two or three seasons before I get enough of them that I will be willing to sacrifice a portion for apple butter rather than out of hand eating. I'm pretty sure Pink Lady's season is a bit too long for me, at least according to my memory of looking at that variety a few years ago when I put most of my trees in. Same for Belle De Boscoop. Perhaps I need to redo the research. York I didn't consider initially because I never thought they were that great from the store, descriptions of their taste from nurseries didn't make my heart flutter and I hadn't given serious thought to making apple butter until recently. Thanks.
...See More
apple butter in the oven?
Q
Comments (10)
Found this on the internet: (do a google search using apple butter oven as the criteria, there were several other recipes) APPLE BUTTER MAKES ABOUT 2-1/2 CUPS Apple butter is one of the sweets in the traditional Pennsylvania Dutch "sweets and sours" commonly served with large dinners. There are several good store-bought apple butters, specifically those that are low in sugar. And where I lived in PA, you could buy it homemade from many orchards. However, there is nothing like making your own. If you are into canning, double the recipe and place in jars as indicated below. This amount can be made and stored in the refrigerator for at least one month. INGREDIENTS 8 cups cored, peeled and sliced apples (about 8 medium) About 4-1/2 cups water, added intermittently 1/2 cup dark brown sugar Dash of salt 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger Place apples and about 3/4 cup of water into heavy oven-proof saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover and cook until apples are soft. Mash until fairly smooth. Stir in brown sugar, salt and spices. Place in 300Â° F oven and continue to cook until dark brown. Add water as needed when mixture dries out. Cook until thick and spreadable. The entire process will take about 6 hours. Check the apple butter about every hour and stir well. Taste for seasoning and sweetness. If canning, place the apple butter in a pot on top of the stove and heat well. Fill sterilized half-pint or pint jars with hot apple butter, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Adjust lids and process in a boiling water canner for 5 minutes at an altitude up to 1,000 feet, 10 minutes from 1,000 - 6,000 feet. Add 5 minutes processing time at each altitude for quart jars. (Processing times are based on guidelines provided by the USDA National Food Safety Database.) Notes: Many people cook the apple butter on top of the stove rather than in the oven. Although the flavor will not benefit from the long, slow cooking process in the oven, it is still very good. I use a variety of apples, including tart, such as Granny Smith, and sweet, such as Red Delicious. The amount of sugar and spices is approximate and dependent on the sweetness and flavor of the apples. It's best to start with a little less and add more after the mixture has cooked for several hours. Apple cider can be substituted for the water, but cut down on the amount of brown sugar. Serve apple butter with cottage cheese or as a bread spread. Some Dutchman like it on scrapple, pancakes, waffles, even french toast. I particularly like it spread on rye bread with a pork and sauerkraut meal. Have you ever made it in a crockpot, that's how I make it. But you are limited to the size of your crockpot.
...See More
Apple Butter from Applesauce
Q
Comments (14)
rebel, I just made applesauce and apple butter last week and boy does it make your house smell good. I learned a few things, as it was my first time as well, and I'm happy to share. First, I strongly recommended that you use the crockpot to prevent burning- stir every 1/2 hour or so. To let steam escape, I left the lid half off at an angle. I actually discovered that my crockpot was much hotter on one side than the other so I would lift the pot out of the base and rotate it 180 every hour or two to even out the heat. I could easily see how the butter could burn in the oven or on the stove. Also, how much applesauce do you have? The sauce cooks down to an amazingly small amount butter. I made 2 batches of applesauce from about 10lbs apples each in the crockpot. I cooked the second batch even further down till it was nice and dark brown, starting to get thick, and then added in half of the first batch (which I blended first, to make creamy) with all the extra juice juice and an extra 1/2 cup of sugar. This made the butter super flavourful and rich. Think butterscotch candy's creaminess but in a Christmas-y apple flavour. Oh, so good! In the end I had 4 1/2 pint jars of butter and 4 pint jars of sauce. Good luck with your butter! -e.
...See More
RECIPE: Question about Crock Pot Apple Butter
Q
Comments (4)
I posted these questions very late last night so I didn't really expect anyone to find it in time for advice -- I just took a chance that someone might still be online. So. The crock pot is still cookin' away, and this is what I did: I turned it back down to Low and left it until 4 a.m. At that point I turned the setting back up to High and it's still going. In other words, I reversed the timing and settings. This doesn't tell me what to do about adding the sugar & spices AFTER the 18 hours, but the stuff smells so wonderful I'm just going to leave it and see what happens. I can adjust the taste during the last four hours when I was SUPPOSED to add them. Now. What do I do about the BW bath? I know I have to adjust most things for my altitude, which is 4,230-something feet. I'm very new at canning, but I really am loving it and right now the Farmers' Market is just brimming with local fruits and vegetables at very good prices.
...See More
readinglady
16 years ago
If you reduced the sugar then there's less sugar to caramelize during the long cooking and so less browning. It may also be with the reduced sugar that what you have is closer to a spiced applesauce than an apple butter. Either way, if you enjoy the flavor and it's the consistency you prefer, it's fine. Color is not an issue.

Also, as mentioned, if you used any kind of acid or Fruit Fresh in preparation, that will help maintain a lighter color.

However, if you reduced the sugar quite a lot, then I'd process as for applesauce, not apple butter.

Cinnamon berries could be one of two things. If the recipe calls for something like 1/2 cup then it's the red hot cinnamon candies. Some apple butter recipes call for those.

The other option is cassia buds, if it's called for in small amounts, say 1 teaspoon. Most of the cinnamon sold in the US is actually cassia while most if the cinnamon in Europe is true cinnamon. Cassia has a stronger cinnamon taste with more bite to it. True cinnamon is more flowery. If you're looking at cinnamon sticks, the cassia sticks curl inward to the center like a scroll while true cinnamon is just a single curled stick or quill.

Anyway, to get back to the point. Cassia buds are the little cinnamon-y flowers dried and they are sometimes called for in old watermelon pickle recipes, etc. That's a bit less likely but is a possibility for cinnamon flavor.

Carol
ksrogers
16 years ago
Using dark brown sugar as opposed to white can help darken, or even a bit of black strap molasses. I added so much cinnamon to mine that it got fairly dark on its own.
phalnellie
16 years ago
don't sound like enough cinnamon, 2teaspoons ...I would have added more...probaby 2 T.
gran2
16 years ago
The variety of apple has a great deal to do with it - also the cloves, but they're quite strong so only increase in small increments, tasting as you go. If you cook your apples with the skins on and use a red- or dark-skinned apple as opposed to, say, transparents, this will darken your sauce.

Best advice? Close your eyes when you eat.
edw_thewrightsplace_us
15 years ago
Blue Ridge Mountain Girl: Great part of the country you live in. I was born in Bedford County VA.

Apple Butter. If it tastes good stop there.
There is nothing wrong with a light colored apple butter, in fact it would be unusual and interesting.

Ed
zattooran
8 years ago
Use Purple Ball Jars......seriously

Apple butter not dark enough

Comments (8)

mellyofthesouth

jcsgreenthumb

Related Discussions

readinglady

ksrogers

phalnellie

gran2

edw_thewrightsplace_us

zattooran

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US