Five Spice Apple Butter Recipes

SPICED APPLE BUTTER

Steps:

• Stir together all ingredients and 1 ½ cups water in a large saucepan or Dutch oven. Bring to a simmer over medium-high, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until apples break down and become very soft, 1 hour, 45 minutes to 2 hours. Remove from heat; cool 10 minutes.
• Transfer mixture to a blender. Secure lid on blender, and remove center piece to allow steam to escape. Place a clean towel over opening. Process until smooth, 1 minute. Store in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 1 month.

SUPREME APPLE BUTTER

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, bring apple juice concentrate, apple cider, and Macintosh apples to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Stirring occasionally, simmer uncovered about 1 hour, until apples are easily mashed.
• Mix dark brown sugar, apple brandy, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves into the apple mixture. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer uncovered 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until thickened. Transfer to sealed sterile containers, and cool at least 1 hour before serving.

FIVE-SPICE APPLE PIE

Steps:

• For Crust:
• Mix first 3 ingredients in large bowl. Add shortening; cut in using pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal with a few pea-size pieces. Mix in enough ice water by tablespoonfuls to form moist clumps. Gather dough. Divide into 2 pieces, 1 slightly larger than the other. Flatten each into disk. Wrap each disk in plastic; chill at least 1 hour. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated. Let dough soften slightly at room temperature before rolling out.)
• For Filling:
• Toss apples and lemon juice in large bowl. Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add apples and brown sugar; cook until apples are just tender, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Using slotted spoon, return apples to same bowl. Boil juices in pot until thick, about 15 minutes. Pour juices over apples; cool completely. Mix in flour and five-spice powder.
• Position rack in lowest third of oven; preheat to 375°F. Place baking sheet on rack. Roll out larger dough disk on floured surface to 12-inch round. Transfer to 9-inch glass pie dish; trim overhang to 1 inch, if necessary. Spoon filling into crust. Roll out smaller dough disk to 10-inch round. Drape over filling. Press top and bottom edges of dough together; crimp decoratively. Cut small hole in center of crust. Brush crust with cream. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon sugar.
• Place pie on baking sheet in oven; bake until crust is golden brown and filling bubbles thickly, about 1 hour 5 minutes. Transfer pie to rack and cool. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.

SPICED APPLE BUTTER

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, combine the apples, apple cider, brown sugar, molasses, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 1-3/4 to 2 hours or until mixture reaches a thick, spreadable consistency, stirring often., Remove from the heat. Stir in raisins and lemon zest. Cool to room temperature. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

FIVE SPICE APPLE BUTTER

Steps:

• In a large pan, cook apples and cider over a low heat until soft. about 20 minutes.
• Using a food mill, blender, food processor, etc, puree the apples. Measure the amount of puree and add half as much brown sugar. Add the five spice powder. Return to the pan and cook over a low heat, uncovered, until thick and bubbly, roughtly one and a half hours. Stir occasionally.
• Preheat oven to 200.
• Place jars, lids, and rings, on a cookie sheet in the oven for 10 minutes to sterilize. When ready remove from oven and pour hot butter into the jars, tightly sealing with lids and rings. Invert (lid side down) on the countertop and leave to rest for at least one hour (this will seal the jars). Flip right side up and store in a dark cool cupboard or pantry. Refrigerate after opening.

ALLSPICED APPLE BUTTER

Steps:

• Place the apples in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over low heat. Cook, uncovered, for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. Add the brown sugar and spices; continue cooking over low heat, stirring occasionally, until very thick, about 30 minutes more. To test for doneness, place a spoonful of the mixture on a white plate and let sit for 20 seconds. If a ring of liquid forms around the apples, there is still too much liquid in the mixture. Continue cooking and testing until no ring forms.

FIVE SPICE APPLE CRUMBLE

Steps:

• Pre-heat the oven to 180ºC / Gas Mark 6. Lightly grease an oven-proof dish.
• Roughly chop the apples into bite-sized chunks and place in a large saucepan.
• Add the raisins, 5-spice and about 100mls of water.
• Cover with a lid and leave to cook over a medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Meanwhile, combine all the ingredients for the crumble topping in a large mixing bowl, and mix thoroughly.
• Add the orange zest or orange extract to the cooked apples and stir well.
• Pour the apple mixture into the prepared dish. Cover with the crumble mixture and spread it out fully to give an even topping.
• Bake for about 25 mins in the oven, until golden brown.
• To make the Ginger Cream, simply combine all the ingredients in a small bowl.
• Serve the hot crumble with a dollop of the Ginger Cream on the side.

FIVE-SPICE APPLE QUINCE PIE

Steps:

• For crust:
• Blend flour and salt in processor 5 seconds. Add butter; using on/off turns, cut in until coarse meal forms. Add 6 tablespoons ice water. Using on/off turns, blend until moist clumps form, adding more water by tablespoonfuls if dough is dry. Gather dough into ball. Divide in half and shape into disks. Wrap each disk in plastic; chill at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.
• For filling:
• Combine first 5 ingredients in large pot. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until fruit is tender, stirring occasionally, about 25 minutes. Transfer mixture to bowl. Mix in flour and spices. Cool. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before continuing.)
• Preheat oven to 400°F. Roll out 1 dough disk on lightly floured surface to 13-inch round. Line 9-inch-diameter pie dish (not deep-dish) with dough. Spoon filling into crust; dot with butter. Roll out second dough disk on lightly floured surface to 13-inch round. Drape dough over filling. Roll up overhang of both crusts together to form edge and crimp. Cut hole in center of crust to allow steam to escape; brush top (not edge) with glaze.
• Bake pie 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375°F. Bake pie until crust is golden, about 55 minutes longer. Cool pie on rack 30 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature with ice cream.
• *A blend of ground cinnamon, cloves, fennel seeds, star anise, and peppercorns, sold in the supermarket's spice section.