Homemade Apple Butter (sugar free)

If you follow my tweets, you will know a bit about my reasoning for trying to make apple butter, but the logic follows my usual "make my own" line of reasoning.

1. I love a food to the point of obsession
2. Said food is either extremely expensive to obtain, or grossly unavailable in the area (ie, Korean-style froyo in Baltimore circa summer 2009)
3. The Internet is free!
4. I make the said thing...sometimes with results indicating that buying the expensive item is absolutely worth it!

None of these reasons really apply to making your own apple butter. The germination of the idea of making my own apple butter came about from my frustration at being unable to find apple butter free of HFCS that wasn't $6 a jar...so I guess it was expense related. However, considering the number of apples necessary to make the 18 oz. jar of apple butter....well...unless you've an apple tree in your back yard, financially it's a wash. 

However, for fresh taste, nothing beats homemade, and that's that. :)

Recipe adapted from A Year of Slow Cooking

You will need:

approx. a dozen apples, depending on their size (I used granny smiths, but you could use any style you desire, even mixing types)

2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp cloves

The best way to make the apple butter is in the crockpot. Since the apples must cook so long, it's nice to be able to leave or sleep without worry. 

Peel and core the apples, then slice into quarters. Dump them into the crockpot, and cook on low for 8 hours, leaving the lid ajar, checking periodically and stirring. 

Add the spices, and cook an additional 6 hours on low until brown and mushy. Smooth out with an immersion mixer, if desired. 

Place in sealed containers and keep in the fridge. If you want to do full out canning, some amazing sources are here. 

And that's it! See? Easy, just a little plan aheady (yep, I made up that word). 

Homemade Strawberry Jam

I have a confession: I am very picky about jam, and I dislike jelly altogether. I have only specific brands of jam that I will buy, most of them quite expensive. I just don't like all of the HFCS that most brands are dumping into their products these days. I think that fruit is tasty enough without add sugar! I had an abundance of strawberries (it's the season in Southern California), and I happened to have many that were starting to overripen, and would have to be thrown away. So I made jam!  It is very easy, and is much better tasting than any store-bought jam.

Ingredients:
2 cups strawberries, chopped into fourths, with core removed
1 cup white sugar
1 tbsp lime juice

Yields about 2 cups of jam.

Remove the core of the strawberries by cutting off the top and, using a paring knife, remove the white center of the strawberry.

Place the strawberries into a medium saucepan, and add sugar and lime juice. Cook on high, and let the berries reduce for about 20 minutes, stirring every few minutes. The berries will break down. If you like a smoother jam, you may mash the berries as they cook or before boiling.

Once the liquid has thickened, pour immediately into a sterilized glass container and seal immediately, leaving room at the top. Refrigerate immediately for jam to set. If you will not be using the jam immediately, process (place the jars in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes).

Use on toast, biscuits, or the PB & J cupcakes!

PB & J cupcakes

When I was little, my grandmother made this peanut butter snack cake that was bursting with peanut flavor had perfect texture and crumb. She'd bake it in an 8 X 8 dish, then cut it into squares and serve without frosting, sometimes as a casual dessert, or as an after-school snack. I've always loved peanut butter cakes, but I've never been able to duplicate the texture or flavor of that cake. These cupcakes are not an exact match, but they're pretty close. I've fancied them up a bit to include another childhood taste by adding homemade strawberry jam and a simple peanut butter buttercream frosting. I love putting fruit filling into cakes, and unfrosted, they look a bit like tarts, and reminded me of Alice in Wonderland, so I left a couple unfrosted just to mix it up. These cupcakes are delicious any way that you decide to dress them up. They take a bit of time to construct, but are easy enough for even a novice baker.  Recipe for the jam can be found on this blog.

Ingredients:

For the cupcakes:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour (I used white whole wheat, but plain white would be fine)
1/4 cup brown sugar (packed)
1/4 cup milk (I used almond, but soy or regular would work as well)
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 very ripe banana
1 egg
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda

For the frosting:
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup unsalted butter (softened)
2 tbsp powdered sugar (or more to taste)

For the filling:
Strawberry jam, homemade or purchased

Yield 8 cupcakes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and line a muffin tin with 8 cupcake papers.

Cupcakes:
In a bowl, mash the banana until it is very mushy, then add the peanut butter, egg, milk, and brown sugar. Mix well.

Next, add the flour, baking soda, and baking powder, mixing until just combined. Be careful not to overmix; this can yield tough cupcakes.

Once they are well mixed, use a spoon to ladle the mix into the cupcake papers, filling about 3/4.

Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.  Remove from oven and cool in the pan on a cooling rack.

Once the cupcakes are well cooled, using a paring knife, cut a cone out of the top of the cupcake, as shown in the photo.

Ladle the strawberry jam into the cupcake, then replace the top.

Frosting:

In a bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, butter, and milk until smooth. Add in the powdered sugar, until sweetened to taste.

Using a spoon or spatula, generously spread onto the cupcakes as desired.