Apple Butter

Apple Butter is a traditional British recipe, based on Robert Kemp Philp's recipe of 1859, for a classic preserve or jam of apples, rum, sugar and lemon juice that's set until hard. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Apple Butter.

prep time

20 minutes

cook time

20 minutes

Total Time:

40 minutes

Makes:

6 jars

Rating:

Tags : British Recipes

This is a classic recipe for a Victorian version of Apple Butter that's derived from Robert Kemp Philp's 1859 volume, The Dictionary of Daily Wants. Below you will find both the recipe in its original form and a modern redaction. This recipe is for that forgotten Victorian dish, the 'Savoury' which typically came at the end of a meal.

Original Recipe

Peel, quarter and core, one bushel of sweet apples; put them into a stew-pan over a gentle fire. When the apples begin to get soft, add the juice of three lemons, one pint of rum, and one pound of loaf sugar dissolved in a quart of water. Boil the whole together, and pour into jars.

Apples, 1 bushel; lemon juice, 3; rum, 1 pint; sugar 1lb; water 1 quart.

Modern Redaction

Ingredients:

7.5kg dessert apples
juice of 1 1/2 lemons
300ml rum
225g sugar
500ml water

Method:

Peel, quarter and core the apples then place in a large pan over gentle heat. As soon as the apples begin to soften add the lemon juice and the rum. Dissolve the sugar in the water and add this as well.

Bring the mixture to a boil then reduce to a rolling boil and continue cooking until the setting point is reached (at least twenty minutes). Test by placing a teaspoon of the mixture on a place cooled in the fridge. Allow to cool for a minute and then if a skin forms when you push the mixture with your fingernail it's ready to pot. If you don't get a skin continue boiling for a further twenty minutes and test again.

Skim the surface when ready then ladle into sterilized jars that have been warmed for 20 minutes in an oven pre-heated to 110°C. Secure the lids then set aside to cool before storing in a cool, dark, cupboard.

Find more Traditional Victorian Recipes Here