apple butter at 10pm

After working a 9 hour day in my classroom on the 2nd day of kindergarten, I couldn't think of a better way to wind down than to slice 6 pounds of apples by hand and create a Venus-like hot atmosphere of cinnamon by cooking down apples for 12 hours.

But honestly. It was really worth it.

spiced apple butter | 6 half-pint jars
adapted from Canning for a New Generation by Liana Krissoff

6 pounds of apples (peeled, cored and chopped into 1-inch pieces)
2 cups apple cider or water
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

Put apples in a large pot along with cider and 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Boil, stirring occasionally, until the apples are broken down, 30 to 40 minutes.

Puree the apples in a food processor or blender, then pour into a slow-cooker and stir in the sugar and spices. Cook on the low setting, with the lid askew to allow liquid to evaporate but still keep splatters in the pot, for 12 hours, stirring when you can, until thick and dark.
(You'll want to use an immersion blender once or twice during cooking to create the smooth, buttery loveliness you'd expect from a fruit butter.)

Ladle into hot jars and process for 10 minutes.

Uses for this wonderful substance:
- Stir into oatmeal or yogurt.
- Smear on hot biscuits, waffles or pancakes.
- Use it in sandwiches (think Gruyère, arugula, apple butter and black forest ham)
- Mix apple butter and mustard and use as a glaze for pork.