Pennsylvanian Apple Butter

This version of apple butter is probably Dutch in origin, since many Dutch people went to America in the eighteenth century and settled in Pennsylvania. Despite the name, it doesn’t contain butter at all, just lots of stewed apples cooked with sweet cider, sugar and spices to a thick purée, which is usually spread on toast. The main texture determinant is the amount of sugar used: the more sugar, the stiffer it is.