Making apple butter for the first time and have no idea what texture I’m supposed to be looking for. Can someone explain what it means to “hold its shape”? Sometimes I find Ball instructions hard to follow
by StrawberriesAteYour
Making apple butter for the first time and have no idea what texture I’m supposed to be looking for. Can someone explain what it means to “hold its shape”? Sometimes I find Ball instructions hard to follow
by StrawberriesAteYour
3 Comments
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I struggle with this too, even though I’ve been making apple, peach and other fruit butters for many years. Finally wrote down instructions for myself so I quit reinventing the wheel. Give this a try and adapt the instructions to suit your own tastes.
Consistency check:
Drop a small dollop of butter onto a cool ceramic plate. The butter will be at the desired consistency when the dollop remains in a mound with only a narrow ring of liquid around the edges.
If the dollop flattens out or if a trail of liquid can drain away from the dollop when the plate is tipped, there is too much liquid in the butter. It needs to cook longer.
When the butter passes the consistency test, it may still need to be cooked longer to get enough caramelization and depth of flavor. If the butter becomes overly dry, add water or cider to loosen the butter to keep it at the desired consistency.
I grew up with a jar of apple butter in the back of the fridge at all times. Granted, it was storebought but it meant I always knew what it was supposed to look like. It should mound up on a spoon as another poster described and it should be DARK BROWN. I see so many pictures of people’s “apple butter” that came out the color of applesauce. Nope, that’s not butter.