Apple Butter

• 3 lb. cooking apples or crab apples
• scant 2 pints water or water and cider

Wash and chop the fruit, including the peel and cores. Add liquid and simmer gently until really soft and pulpy. Put through a fine sieve, and weigh the pulp. Return it to the pan with the spices and sugar. Stir until sugar dissolves, then boil gently until creamy in consistency, stirring regularly. Pot and cover in the usual way.