Chai Spiced Apple Butter

    This fruit butter adds warm Chai Tea spices to your apples,  You make my Homemade Chai Tea Concentrate first and then use that to complete the recipe.  You can adjust spices when butter is almost all the way cooked down so that you can enhance the spices you want to shine through (I love cardamom, vanilla and cinnamon and usually add more near the end of cook time)  People often ask which apples to use, I used gala apples in this - but, I really do think any sweet apple variety will do!  ~Enjoy! Diane 

Ingredients: 
Homemade Chai Tea Concentrate {Masala} 
4 cups chai tea concentrate 
(the Chai Concentrate recipe renders the 4 cups liquid needed for this recipe) 

4 pounds apples
8 ounces apple cider or juice
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar

Yield: 4 half pints

Directions:

Start on the stove top: Put the peeled, cored apples in a 6- or 8-quart heavy-bottomed pan. Add the cider and 4 cups of chai concentrate and bring to a boil over high heat. Keep mixture at a medium-high boil, stirring occasionally, until the apples are completely broken down and the apples are soft, 30 to 40 minutes. 

Into the slow cooker:  Pour the softened apple mixture from your pot into a 6-quart slow cooker. Puree with immersion blender. Taste your mixture and add in any additional sugars or spices that you prefer. I added in a bit more brown sugar along with some more cinnamon and vanilla.  Cook on the "Low" setting with the lid propped up or set askew to allow the liquid to evaporate for 6 to 8 hours, stirring occasionally, until mixture is thick and dark.(Keep in mind different slow cookers cook at different temperatures.)  
My motto is - "You know your apple butter is ready when you can stand a large spoon up in it without the spoon falling over - otherwise, you just have applesauce."
 
Onto canning: Place the slow cooker on high for 10-15 minutes, ladle hot apple butter into sterilized, hot canning jars, leaving 1/2-inch head-space. Apply a new lid and tighten down with band, process for 10 minutes in a boiling water-bath canner (or according to your altitude) Carefully remove the jars from the canner to a draft free spot (I place mine on a towel lined cookie sheet on my counter top) and do not disturb for 12 hours.  After 2-3 hours, check to see that the lids have sealed, and immediately refrigerate any jars that haven’t sealed.  After 24 hours, remove bands, wash jars, label and store in pantry for up to 1 year. 

Recipe & Photos by: Diane Baker for Canning and Cooking at Home