Apple Spread

Enjoy a delicious blend of flavours in this contemporary twist on a classic pairing. The bounty of apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, zesty lemons and warm spices.

1 cup apple juice, filtered
1 cup dried apples,
8 lbs cooking apples
1 cup water
1 Tbsp. lemon zest, freshly grated
1 Tbsp. lemon juice, freshly squeezed
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger
½ tsp. ground cloves
½ tsp. ground allspice

Bring the apple juice to a boil. Place the apples in a glass or ceramic bowl and pour the hot apple juice over them. Let them sit until plump, about one hour.

Peel, core, and chop fresh apples. Place them along with the plumped dried apples and juice in a large kettle or Dutch oven. Add approximately 1 cup of water or enough to come about 1" up the side of the pan.

Bring the water to a gentle boil, cover, and reduce the heat. Simmer until the apples are soft, about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Check the water level often, adding more as needed, a Tbsp. at a time, to prevent burning.

Transfer the apples to a food processor or blender, and purée, taking care not to liquefy. Pour the mixture into a saucepan and stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, freshly squeezed, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and allspice.

Cook over low heat, stirring often, until the mixture thickens and reduces by about a third, about 10-15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool completely. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours before serving, allowing time for the flavors to meld.

Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

Makes about 4 cups.