Apple butter is a highly concentrated form of apple sauce produced by long, slow apple cooking with juice or water to the point where sugar in apples caramelizes, turning apple butter to dark brown. The sugar concentration gives the apple butter a longer shelf life as a preservation than apple sauce.
Video Apple butter
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The roots of apple butter are located in Limburg (Belgium and the Netherlands) and the Rhineland (Germany), conceived during the Middle Ages, when the first monasteries (with large fruit pages) appeared. Butter production is the perfect way to preserve part of the fruit production of the monasteries in the region, at a time when almost every village has its own butter apple producer. The production of apple butter was also a popular way of using apples in colonial America, until the 19th century.
The product contains no actual butter of milk; the term butter refers only to the thick, tender consistency of butter, and the use of apple butter as a spread for bread. Sometimes flavored with cinnamon, cloves, and other spices, apple butter is usually spread over bread, used as a side dish, ingredients in baked goods, or as a spice. Butter apples are also used on sandwiches to add an interesting flavor, but not as commonly used as in historical times.
Vinegar or lemon juice is sometimes mixed while cooking to give a small amount of tartness to a normally sweet apple butter. The Pennsylvania Dutch often incorporate apple jams as part of their traditional 'seven sweets and seven sours' dinner arrangement.
In South America, the production of apple butter is a family event, because of the large amount of labor required to produce large amounts of apple butter. Traditionally, apple butter is prepared in a large copper kettle on the outside. Large paddles are used to stir the apples, and family members will alternate stirring. In Appalachia, applesauce is the only kind of fruit preservation that is usually made into the skin of a fruit.
In Europe, applesauce has traditionally been made that is closer to solid syrup, in the Netherlands (known as appelstroop , meaning apple syrup ) and in Germany (known as > apfelkraut ) and is often eaten on bread with (or without) thinly sliced ââcheeses and with Sauerbraten . The sweeter version, made using pears, and apples, is more popular in Belgium, where it is known as the syrup de LiÃÆ'ège . In addition to Benelux and Rhineland, apple syrup is a minority taste in Western Europe (in Germany, outside of Rhineland, commonly sold in health food stores), and similar foods are produced in Swiss francophone, where it is known as vin cuit. i>.
Russia ???????? (From Czech, povidla, or polish, powid, or powid) is prepared by the reduction of fruit puree with little sugar and sometimes spices. The end product should contain no more than 34% moisture and about 60% sugar. The most popular is made from apples, but the povidlo is also made of apricots, cherries, plums, pears, and cranberries. Poland powid? A is made from fresh purple prunes and with added sugar.
In Jersey, on the Channel Islands, apple jam is known as black butter or lÃÆ' à © niÃÆ'èr beurre and includes sweet roots as ingredients.
In Japan, apple jams often contain actual butter and are much brighter, usually yellow in color. It is used as a spread of toast or as a toast, and may consist of a mashed texture with small apple slices, similar to red bean paste used in anpanans. apple-producing areas such as Nagano and Aomori Prefectures and often use local apple varieties such as Fuji.
Apple butter can be used instead of fat in low fat or fat free dishes, as well as vegan recipes.
Maps Apple butter
Production
Materials
- Apples (peeled, casted, and finely chopped)
- Brown (or white) sugar or unrefined sugar beet juice
- Apple juice (or apple cider)
- Spices (nutmeg, clove, allspice, cardamom, vanilla extract and lemon juice - optional.)
Apple type
Different types of apples can be used for the production of apple butter. Apples are selected based on their physical and chemical properties - such as hardness, sweetness, acidity/tartness, etc. Soft apples are often chosen for the production of apple butter because it can be broken down easier and faster when cooked. This type of apple includes: McIntosh (soft, creamy), Cortland (soft, sweet-and-tart, all-purpose), Granny Smith (sweet tartness while cooking, the ideal complement to savory and salty food).
Producing
Apple was first chosen based on maturity, texture, natural sweetness and acidity/acidity. Some of these apples are pressed into fresh apple cider, while the rest is peeled and discarded, then steamed whole and cooked into apple puree. Apples of freshly processed apples and cooked apple puree are added to the large steam bar. A small amount of sodium bicarbonate is added to the mixture to reduce the acidity and help to remove the sweetness of the natural fructose available in the apple. The mixture will then be boiled during the evaporation process, allowing its volume to decrease by about seven times. The final product will be a concentrated mixture used as apple butter.
Packaging and storage
Apple butter is usually packaged in the same way whether prepared at the factory or made at home. These can be mechanically packaged in bottles or cans through the use of the machine.
Apple Butter is a product made as a means of preserving apples. Due to its high acidity, high sugar content and low amount of free water, open packets can be stored for months at room temperature without damage. However there are many methods that can be used for storing apple butter. No method is 100% reliable, as there is always the possibility of the presence of bacteria or other microorganisms in the food itself, in storage equipment or in storage facilities.
Usually, the jars are sterilized before packaging to ensure no microorganisms or harmful bacteria will infect the product, thus making it damaged. Ideally, the bottle is sterilized using a combination of high temperature heating and ensures a tight seal.
Apples are high acid foods, with a pH below 4.6. Therefore, apple butter can be placed in a hot bottle without the possibility of sacrificing product quality. The main sources of decay, mold, yeast and enzyme, are killed at temperatures achieved in hot water baths during the sterilization process for cans and jars. Decomposition microorganisms in acidic foods can be destroyed in a short period of time at temperatures under boiling water, so there is little risk of microorganisms present in the food product itself.
Holds
The apple butter clinker counter can help maintain quality and inhibit bacterial growth. This storage method does not damage existing microorganisms that may be present in the product, so it is important to be vigilant when consuming frozen products beforehand.
Boiling
Applying high temperatures over a period of time can not only help in sterilizing jars or cans used in packaging, but can help maximize the storage time of apple butter or other products. Boiling the urn will remove the remaining oxygen in the jar, which forms a tight seal between the lid and the rim. The heat used for this canning method is enough to kill the bacterial cells found in food. Only high acid foods with a pH of 4.6 or less can be processed using boiling water immersion method. This is because high acid foods prevent spore growth from the Clostridium botulinum bacteria , which can not be killed by boiling. Foods with a pH over 4.6 can allow spores to grow.
Vacuum sealed
Similar to the boiling process, vacuum sealing jars or apple butter cans can remove the remaining oxygen in the jar, forming a tight seal. The process of vacuuming can be done by large-scale factory or at home with mechanical vacuum sealer. Special devices, such as vacuum packaging sealers, can be fitted with a certain jar attachment to be mounted over the bottle cap and create a secure fit.
Pressurization
Low-acid foods can be processed in a pressure regulator to rule out the risk of botulism; However, this treatment is not necessary for high acid foods such as apple butter. Butter apples do not require sterilization at very high temperatures to achieve optimal storage and maintain quality, so pressure canning process is not normally used for this product.
Preservation and decay
Preservation of apple butter involves the application of several concepts of food science, including temperature control, water activity, and acidity levels in the product. Thermal processing not only helps to produce the texture and flavor that is typical for apple butter but also a common way to sterilize food products. This is an important step in minimizing the growth potential of decay causing microorganisms and diseases in the product. As a result of heat processing and apple softening, the presence of air bubbles can be minimized during canning. Cooling is a way of preserving apple butter after heat processing. Although it is not a method that removes microorganisms, it is a method to decrease the rate of growth of microorganisms. Open apple jars can survive a year if stored under low temperature conditions. With cooling, the quality of apple butter can still decrease over time.
In addition to temperature control, the arrangement of water activity in apple butter can also maintain the quality of apple butter. Water present in the diet may be present in two types: bound water and free water. Water bound refers to water molecules attached to other molecules, making them unable to participate in chemical reactions or exploited by microorganisms to contribute to their growth. Free water refers to free water molecules to perform the above functions, and should be reduced to achieve longer conservation periods. The addition of sugar to apple butter allows more binding with free water molecules and thereby reduces the amount of free water to support microbial growth.
Lowering the pH level of apple butter can also help lower the level of decay. Acidity in food creates a less favorable environment for the survival of microorganisms, thereby inhibiting the growth of bacteria and fungi. Foods with a pH of less than 4.6 are considered high acid foods, and apples generally have a pH of 3.7. Some prescriptions may include the addition of vinegar as a way to lower the pH and maintain the quality of the final product.
Sometimes, commercial brands of apple butter can be found with other ingredients and food additives. High fructose corn syrup is a preservative that has high acidity and is often used by producers in the preservation of food products, including apple butter. Sodium benzoate, an additive allowed under Canadian food regulation, is able to inhibit the growth of fungi and has been used as a preservative in apple butter.
It is possible to observe decay in apple butter if the final product is not properly sterilized during the canning process, allowing microorganisms to survive and grow in containers. Lack of cooling can also accelerate the rate of decay of apple butter. Decrease in quality occurs little over time even if the product is cooled, and poses no threat to the consumer. Some indicators for quality changes include discoloration and odor. However, applesauce should be removed if there are obvious signs of decay, such as when the fungus is found on the surface of the product. Even before the preparation of apple butter, apple quality should be considered because it has been reported according to the level of patulin, a type of toxin produced by fungi, present in apples. Research also shows that longer heat treatment periods can reduce the level of patulin present in the product.
Nutrition
The nutritional value of apple butter varies considerably based on the recipe used to prepare a particular product. The list of ingredients can be as simple as just two ingredients for a much more complicated food mix. Although the ingredients are varied, which alters the nutritional value of apple butter, the two main points that stand out for consumers on the nutrition fact table are the amount of carbohydrates and the amount of sugar containing apple butter. For 1 tablespoon, the amount of carbohydrate ranges between 4-15 grams and sugar content ranges between 4-10 grams. Apple butter is not a good source of iron, calcium, vitamin A, vitamin B, although it contains small amounts of vitamin C. Although all recipes vary, the main ingredient in all apples is apples and apple juice. In the commercial brand of apple butter, the type of apple used is not specified, but in certain home-made recipes they determine what type of apple is used. Commercial brands tend to use corn syrup in their apple butter. In homemade apple butter, sugar or brown sugar is used more often. Apple butter may be a healthier choice than other breakfast jams, but it is not considered healthy, as it does not provide many nutrients to consumers. Butter apples more than food accessories to put on your toast or other food just added to the taste.
In the Netherlands, appelstroop is widely recognized as a good source of iron, an element of diet where modern diets are often thought to be lacking. There is a widespread view that iron content arises from the interaction of acids in apples with metal vessels in which the appelstroop is prepared and/or packed. However, commercially sold apples are sold in paper or plastic containers (or, in Germany, glass jars) and into the fifties, traditional cooking pots used for preparation are generally made of copper. Regardless of how the appelstroop initially gained its reputation as a source of iron, the iron content (10-20 mg per 100 g) in a typical factory-produced product is driven by sugar beets, which is included with apples in an approximate ratio of 30: 70. The process of cooking thickens the texture syrup of sugar beet, gives the extra sweetness expected by modern tastes (no refined sugar added in this recipe) and increases the proportion of various mineral elements including pre-cooked iron in both apples and beet sugar.
Food-borne diseases
Apple Butter is low risk for foodborne diseases. The way apple butter is packed is very similar to congestion. The apple butter is stored in a glass jar, which allows light to enter the container because it is less shelf-life than canned food in a steel can. The preservation technique used to preserve apple butter is called canning. Canning is a process whereby pre-packed food is exposed to a humid heat of at least 121 ° C for a certain period of time to kill microorganisms that cause decay and disease. Although apple butter is low-risk for food-borne diseases if improperly tinned, especially when made at home, the product can grow harmful microorganisms. If the applesauce is not properly tinned, Clostridium botulinum can survive and multiply in the jar. These germs produce toxins that can seriously harm a person or in some cases even cause death. The apple butter maker needs to verify that the jars are properly sealed and that the heat treatment is used on the apple jars for some time to kill all microorganisms and prevent the product from contamination by outside air. After the jar is opened, the product must be cooled to slow or inhibit the growth of microorganisms that cause decay.
Usage
Apple butter and applesauce also have different uses. Popular ways of using apple butter include, seasoning or spreads for cakes and pie fillings. It can also be used as a healthier alternative to oil, butter, or butter. Some people also enjoy using it to soak the meat, or pair it with cooked meat and cheese like cheddar, brie or chevre. The apple sauce, on the other hand, is usually served alone or as a side dish for a variety of dishes.
Difference between applesauce and butter
During preparation, the apple will be casted for apple sauce but not for apple butter, allowing it to have a much stronger apple flavor. Both also differ in cooking time; apple sauce only needs to be cooked until the apple is soft enough to be smoothed, while apple butter must be cooked until the apple becomes brown, crumbled and thickened. As a result of its long cooking time, caramel brown apple butter is much darker, while apple sauce is usually golden in color. The apple sauce has a more liquid consistency while apple butter is thicker and easier to spread.
Events
In various locations throughout the United States, apple butter production is associated with community events, most commonly in autumn at the end of the apple harvest season. On many of these occasions, apple butter is cooked in place with traditional methods, using a large copper kettle over an open fire that is stirred for hours.
More Days' Apple Butter has been held at the courthouse square in Mount Vernon, Missouri, every October since 1967. Kimmswick, Missouri, and Berkeley Springs, West Virginia, each have an annual apple butter festival, as well. Grand Rapids, Ohio also celebrated with the Apple Butter Fest on October 12th. There is also Apple Butter Stir Off which is held on the first weekend in October in Belpre, Ohio.
Wellesley, Ontario, held the annual Apple Butter and Cheese Festival on the last Saturday of September.
The Fenner Nature Center in Lansing, MI, also has an annual Apple Butter Festival on the third weekend of October.
Oak Glen, California, has an Apple Butter Festival in November at Thanksgiving Weekend as part of their official Apples Harvest closure.
See also
- List of spreads
References
External links
- "Stirring the Past", WBGU-PBS documentary Grand Rapids (Ohio) Festival Applebutter
- The apple butter recipe
- The original apple butter recipe
- The homemade apple butter recipe
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Source of the article : Wikipedia