APPLES, APPLES, APPLES

Spiced however you choose, apple butter and ketchup is the perfect accompaniment to grilled or BBQ’d meats and vegetables, and apple butter is especially tasty in a whole host of baked goods.

Whichever you make, it’s the perfect way to preserve the harvest seasons’ produce ready for winter.

THE DIFFERENCES

Applesauce is very light in colour - the apples are cooked until the fruit is just soft then the mixture is pureed.

Apple jam or any other jam contains a higher sugar content and is usually cooked until it just sets in the fridge when tested. Most jams usually keep well out of the fridge because of their sugar content.

Apple butter is usually simmered slowly for several hours, evaporating most of the water and caramelising the natural sugars. This turns the spread a darker brown which gives it a more concentrated flavor. It’s usually much less sweet (but you can sweeten to your liking), and once opened needs to be refridgerated due to it’s low sugar content. It can be blended or left chunky depending on your preference.

RECIPES
Sweet & spiced︎︎︎
Maple apple butter︎︎︎

Apple ketchup is very similar to apple butter, only it usually contains an onion and often more savoury spices. The difference is that it’s always pureed, because who likes chunky ketchup!

RECIPES
Lightly spiced apple ketchup︎︎︎
Apple ketchup with mustard & curry powder︎︎︎

Savoury ways with apple butter

︎On a soft (or crispy) roll
with pork or veggie sausages, caramelised onions and mustard (and cheese if you like)

︎With sausage rolls!
bougee or Greggs, veggie or farm shop, I don’t judge

︎With a vegetarian Sunday roast
served alongside this nut roast︎︎︎ with all the usual trimmings

︎Roasted root vegetables
a few tablespoons mixed with squash, sweet potatoes, carrots, and/or Brussels sprouts and olive oil & salt before roasting

︎Pork marinade
brushed on a pork joint or chops before and/or while cooking

︎On a cheeseboard
with a sharp cheddar, smoked gouda, or brie on a cracker or bread

︎Grilled cheese sandwich
spread inside a panini or your choice of bread combined with sharp cheddar or gruyère and sliced fresh apples

︎Apple horseraddish sauce
from Nigella’s Feast: combine 4 tbsp creme fraiche, 4 tbsp apple butter and 2 tbsp horseraddish sauce. Serve with roasted vegetables

︎Apple butter and brie tart
spread a layer onto a sheet of puff pastry, top with brie and slices of apple, drizzle with oil then sprinkle thyme, salt and pepper (add pancetta/bacon if you wish too)

︎BBQ sauce condiment
combine equal parts apple butter with barbecue sauce and brush over grilled tofu, tempeh, or cauliflower steaks

︎ With sweet potato mash or soup
stir a dollop of apple butter into mashed sweet potatoes or squash soup

︎ On pizza with blue cheese
or gorgonzola. Replace the tomato base with apple butter and top with your choice of cheese, sliced apple, shredded mozzarella and roasted squash or pancetta, then top with rocket and a drizzle of oil and balsamic vinegar

Sweet ways with apple butter

︎On a slice of toast!
with butter and/or sliced banana?

︎Porridge
mix in a few tablespoons to cooked porridge then top with raisins, coconut flakes and walnuts

︎French toast or bread & butter pudding
combine a few tablespoons to your batter and serve with maple syrup and sliced banana/apple

Baking, a-z

A compilation of my favourite apple recipes: some feature substitutions for apple butter (you can of course fully follow the recipe if you like); and some simply include fresh apples. Sorry in advance for the apple-spice-cup-American-ness of some of these - I can confirm that they are all still delicious.