Overnight Crock Pot Apple Butter

This has been a very happy week in our family. We welcomed our newest little family member on a very special day for math nerds everywhere: 11/12/13! I can't wait to meet little Miss Maisie and give her tons of smooches and snuggles! In her honor, I am getting back in the saddle and posting a delicious treat. Mark took me away to the Inn at Little Washington for my birthday. We stayed in a beautiful cottage a few blocks away and it was one of the loveliest places I've ever been. Amazing food aside, the views alone were magnificent. Rolling hills and fall colors as far as the eye could see. It was really the perfect weekend...the perfect weekend for being suckered into buying a bushel of apples when all we really wanted was one small bag. In fairness, the bushel was only twice the price of the small bag and I can never walk away from a good deal. We found ourselves the happy owners of more apples than any two people could ever want or need. In an effort to use as many apples as possible, I made apple butter. It turned out to be so smooth, creamy and rich. The perfect treat for toast, a peanut butter sandwich, or a sweet treat after dinner. It is so perfectly fall and so easy to make that I can't wait to be suckered into mass apple purchasing in the future. This made 6 pints of apple butter, so it is also great to give as a gift.

Overnight Crock Pot Apple Butter
Ingredients:
10 large apples (I used 6 large granny smiths and a combination of 6-8 random small apples)
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup apple cider (or juice)
1/2 cup champagne
1/2 cup orange juice

1.  Turn your crock pot on High and add the sugars, spices, salt, and liquids.  I had a leftover, open bottle of champagne, so I used some of that in the recipe.  You certainly don't need it.  Dry white wine, apple cider/juice or water will work just fine too.

2.  Peel and slice your apples into about 1-inch pieces.  This will take a while, but turn on some good music and try to enjoy the process.

3.  Add the pieces of apples to the crock pot as you chop, so they are in the cooking liquid and you won't have to worry about them oxidizing and turning brown.
4.  Once you've peeled and chopped all the apples, you're crock pot will be full!  Toss the apples to coat evenly with the sugar/spice liquid.  I used my best tools...my hands. 

5.  Cook for 2 hours on high heat.
6.  Turn down to low and cook overnight (8-10 hours).  In the morning, your house will smell amazing.  Also, you will be ready to make your apple butter.
7.  You will NOT need all the cooking liquid for the apple butter, so use a slotted spoon to gather the apples from the crock pot into your food processor or blender.  Add 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid to start blending.  You can add more, as needed to get the consistency you like.  I like it thick, so I only used about 3/4 cup total.

8.  Scoop the apple butter into you waiting jars, seal, and enjoy! 

Tip:  Since I am not canning the apple butter for use much later, I do not go in for the full canning process.  I wash the jars and lids in the "sterilize" cycle of my dishwasher and use them right away with the hot apple butter.  The jars are best when stored in the fridge and enjoyed withing 3 weeks.

I am eating it on everything!

If this isn't the perfect setting to buy a whole bushel of apples, I don't know what is...

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