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Apple Apricot Butter

Prep Time 10 mins
Course Condiments

Equipment

  • slow cooker
  • blender or food processor

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lb apples quartered
  • 2 lb apricots, halved and pitted
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/2 cinnamon stick
  • 1/2 vanilla bean cut in half and sliced lengthwise optional
  • Pinch salt
  • fresh lemon juice optional, to taste

Instructions
 

  • Place apples, apricots, water, cinnamon, vanilla bean and salt in your slow cooker. This should fill a standard sized slow cooker. Set slow cooker to high for 5 hours. Mash fruit halfway through cooking time.
  • After 5 hours of slow cooking, open lid and cook an additional 45–60 minutes, until colour darkens and most of the liquid evaporates. Check and stir occasionally, consistency should be thick and saucy.
  • Let cool slightly, remove vanilla bean (save, wash and reuse) and cinnamon stick and transfer to a food processor or blender.
    Process until you have a buttery, silky-smooth purée, emulsifying all the skins. Taste and adjust seasoning with lemon juice, if you like.
  • Transfer to clean jars, seal, label, date and refrigerate. This will keep for several weeks in the fridge. For canning, process for 10 minutes in a boiling-water canner.

Notes

FRUIT BUTTER TIPS
 
No peeking! We all want to see what’s going on in there, but as soon as you open the lid steam escapes, the temperature drops and you can add an extra 20 minutes to your cooking time.
If you feel as though your butter is still too watery after puréeing, put it back in the slow cooker (or even a saucepot over medium-low heat) with the lid open for an extra 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally until thickened.
Keyword apple butter, apples,, apricots, fruit butter