William Woys Weaver

Apple Butter with Fennel

Lattwaerrick mit Fenchel

Preparation info

  • 7 to 7½ pints

    • Difficulty

      Easy

Appears in
Pennsylvania Dutch Country Cooking
Pennsylvania Dutch Country Cooking

By William Woys Weaver

Published 1993

  • About

Granted, apple butter with fennel is rarely encountered among the Dutch today, yet at one time it was common. The rustic, aniselike flavor makes this apple butter ideal as a spread on homemade rye bread or as a filling in fritters or layered cakes. It is the preferred ingredient for Apple Butter Pie.

Ingredients

  • 10 pounds (5 kg) tart apples (about 26 large apples)
  • 1<

Method

Pare, core, and chop the apples. Combine the apples, cider, and brown sugar in a heavy 3- to 4-gallon (12- to 16-liter) nonreactive preserving pan. Bring the apple mixture to a boil over high heat. Skim off the foam, then reduce the temperature to low and cook steadily, uncovered, for 5 hours. Stir at regular intervals in a figure 8 pattern to reduce the apples to a puréed consistency. The more