One day we made this pear butter and served it alongside lemon scones and jars of our Douglas-fir Jelly in the store. It flew out the door and we set an all-time sales record for jelly that day.
Ginger Pear Butter
You can substitute apples for pears; we like pears because we have some trees growing not far from the oyster farm. Makes about 4 cups.
Ingredients
5 pounds pears (or apples), peeled, cored and chopped
2 cups ginger cider (we like Timber City)
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon almond or vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
Procedure
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.
In a wide, shallow, ovenproof pot add the pears, cider and light brown sugar. Simmer, covered, on the stovetop until the pears are tender, about 30 minutes. Let cool slightly, then puree with an immersion blender until smooth. Stir in the lemon juice, the almond or vanilla extract, and the cinnamon and allspice.
Transfer the pot to the oven and bake, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the pear butter has darkened in color and holds a trail when you drag a wooden spoon across the bottom of the pot. This should take about 2-3 hours total.
Let cool and store in the refrigerator for up to a month.