Easy Apple Butter

[vegelady]

     Ingredients:

     10 crisp apples (such as Granny Smith, Macintosh, or Spartan)
     1 cup of vegan brown sugar (raw sugars work great here)
     1/2 cup of apple juice (or water)
     1/4 teaspoon each cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves
     1 teaspoon vanilla extract or 1/2 teaspoon each of cinnamon and nutmeg



     Directions:


     1. Core and cut apples into quarters.  If you have a food processor or blender, leave the peels on.
         If you are working by hand, peel the apples.

     2. Place all ingredients in a large pot and cook on medium-high heat until apples break down and become very soft.

     3. Continue to reduce until the apples are thick and dark brown and the liquid has reduced about 80%.

     4. Cool mixture slightly and puree in a food processor, blender, or with an immersion blender. If you are working by hand,
         blend with a potato masher until the apples are the consistency of a thick apple sauce.

     This apple butter is great spread on toast, rice cakes, on top of "ice cream", as a dip, mixed with yogurt, or anything else you
     can think of!

     Keeps two weeks in the refrigerator.  Freezes well.

     Serves: 3 medium containers or jars of apple butter.

     Preparation time: 10 minutes prep time; 45 minutes cooking time.