Ingredient: Apple Butter
There’s no butter in apple butter. The name comes purely from the texture, which is spreadable, almost like the real thing. It’s made just from apples, cooked slowly until the sugars caramelise to be toasty and rich.
German settlers in Pennsylvania made Apple Butter in huge copper kettles outdoors, stirring for hours as a communal autumn event. Similar preserves existed in Belgium too. Before refrigeration, it was a good way to keep your apple harvest going through winter.
In the UK, apple butter is still fairly niche. You’ll find it in farm shops, delis and online, though it’s easy to make at home if you have a slow cooker and a bag of cooking apples. The long, gentle heat does all the work, and you end up with this gorgeous brown spread that tastes almost spiced even if you haven’t added any spices at all.
Spread it on crumpets or toast, stir it through your porridge, use it as a glaze for pork, or swirl it into waffle batter.
