California Crock Pot Dandy Brandy Apple Butter Recipes

SLOW COOKER APPLE BUTTER (NO PEELING!)

Steps:

• Place the cubed apple in a large slow cooker and put the rest of the ingredients right on top of the apples.
• Cover and cook on high for 4 hours, no mixing required at this time.
• After 4 hours, remove the lid and mash the apples a bit before carefully transferring into a large blender. Blend the mixture until completely smooth.
• Add the mixture back into the slow cooker with the cover slightly ajar and cook on high for another 4-5 hours until thick, mixing every 30 minutes or so.
• Allow it to cool a bit before storing in glass jars and refrigerating for 3-4 weeks.

CALIFORNIA CROCK POT DANDY BRANDY APPLE BUTTER

Steps:

• Add sugar to prepared applesauce to taste, depending on the sweetness of your apples.
• Combine with all other ingredients and cook in crock pot on low until thickened and brown, 8-10 hours. Stir occasionally, scraping sides with a rubber spatula. I remove the cover for the last hour or two and stir it more often.
• Pour into hot sterilized jars, leaving ¼ inch head space. Vacuum seal.
• Alternately, cool, put in plastic containers and freeze.
• Note: I just made another batch and cooked the apples in apple cider instead of water when first making the sauce.

APPLE BRANDY BUTTER

Steps:

• Place all ingredients in heavy saucepan.
• Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently.
• Cook for about 15 minutes, or until mixture begins to thicken.
• Pour into hot sterilized jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace.
• Vacuum seal.

APPLE BRANDY APPLE BUTTER

Steps:

• Heat juice concentrate, wine and apples to boiling in 4-quart Dutch oven; reduce heat to low.
• Simmer uncovered about 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until apples are very soft.
• Mash with potato masher if necessary, to remove all lumps.
• Stir in remaining ingredients.
• Heat to boiling; reduce heat to low.
• Simmer uncovered about 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until no liquid separates from pulp.
• Immediately pour into hot, sterilized jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace.
• Wipe rims of jars; seal.
• Cool on wire rack 1 hour.
• Store in refrigerator up to 2 months.

APPLE BUTTER FOR THE SLOW COOKER

Steps:

• Combine apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, allspice, salt, and cloves in a slow cooker.
• Cook on High until the apples are tender enough to easily mash with a fork, 4 to 6 hours.
• Puree apple mixture with an immersion blender until smooth.
• Sterilize the jars and lids in boiling water for at least 5 minutes. Pack apple butter into the hot, sterilized jars, filling the jars to within 1/4 inch of the top. Run a knife or a thin spatula around the insides of the jars after they have been filled to remove any air bubbles. Wipe the rims of the jars with a moist paper towel to remove any food residue. Top with lids, and screw on rings.
• Place a rack in the bottom of a large stockpot and fill halfway with water. Bring to a boil and lower jars into the boiling water using a holder. Leave a 2-inch space between the jars. Pour in more boiling water if necessary to bring the water level to at least 1 inch above the tops of the jars. Bring the water to a rolling boil, cover the pot, and process for 10 minutes.
• Remove the jars from the stockpot and place onto a cloth-covered or wood surface, several inches apart, until cool. Once cool, press the top of each lid with a finger, ensuring that the seal is tight (lid does not move up or down at all). Store in a cool, dark area.

DUBE'S BRANDY APPLE PIE

Steps:

• Make the crust:
• In a large bowl, sift together flours, sugar, salt, baking powder, and mace.
• Cut in butter with a pastry blender until pea-sized clumps form.
• In a small bowl, whisk together brandy, vanilla, and whole egg. Pour into flour mixture and blend with a fork until mixture is moist and holds together.
• Turn the dough out onto a work surface. Divide in two.
• Sprinkle with just enough flour and sugar to coat.
• Place each half on a sheet of plastic wrap.
• Flatten and form two discs.
• Wrap, and refrigerate at least 1 hour before using.
• Make the filling:
• In a large bowl, sift together sugars, flour, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, and mace; set aside.
• Place apples in another large bowl.
• In a small bowl, mix together brandy and vanilla; pour over apples.
• Add 3/4 of the flour mixture to the apples; toss to combine.
• Preheat the oven to 400°.
• Butter and flour a 12-inch pie plate; set aside.
• Place two large sheets of plastic wrap on top of one another on a work surface.
• Sprinkle with enough flour and sugar to lightly coat.
• Place 1 disc of dough on plastic wrap, and lightly sprinkle with flour and sugar.
• Cover dough with 2 large pieces plastic wrap.
• Roll out dough between plastic wrap to a 14-inch circle.
• Peel off top layers of plastic wrap and flip dough over into prepared pie plate.
• Carefully peel off remaining layers of plastic wrap.
• Using scissors or a sharp paring knife, trim edges to 1 inch. Reserve trimmings.
• Sprinkle reserved flour mixture into pastry-lined pie plate.
• Fill with apple mixture, mounding in the center; dot with butter.
• Roll out second disc of dough between plastic wrap following the same process as above.
• Lay over apples.
• Cut vents into top crust.
• Trim edges to 1 inch and seal crimping edges with thumb and forefinger.
• Divide beaten egg yolk in half.
• Add enough red food coloring to half the yolk to create desired shade of red; set remaining yolk aside.
• Gather reserved pastry trimmings together and roll 1/8-inch thick; brush with colored yolk.
• Cut out into leaf shapes.
• Brush top of pie with reserved egg yolk and attach decorative shapes.
• Sprinkle with sugar.
• Place pie on a baking sheet.
• This will catch any juices that may overflow during baking.
• Loosely cover pie with parchment-lined aluminum foil.
• Transfer pie to oven and bake for about 1 hour.
• Reduce temperature to 375° and continue baking for another hour.
• During the last 10 minutes of baking, remove foil so that the pie has a nice golden color.
• Serve pie warm.