Caramel Spice Pear Butter

CarolAT's Note:

If you like making home-made preserves, then this easy to prepare Pear Butter is just for you. I found this recipe in an old Home Canning book many years ago and have been making batches every year. There's extra flavor richness in this pear butter that is contributed by the spices and some caramelized sugar. Enjoy!

• Total Time: 1 hrs 50 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hrs 30 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 9 half pi ...

• 15 bartlett pears
• 2 cups water
• 6 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

Directions:

1. Wash the pears but do not peel or core them; slice pears into a heavy saucepan (at least 5-quart size).
2. Add water, cover, and cook until tender (about 30 minutes).
3. Remove from heat and press the pears through a colander or a food mill.
4. Measure the pear pulp (you should have about 8 cups) and return to the pan.
5. Using a frying pan, heat 1 1/2 cups of the sugar, stirring until it melts and caramelizes to a medium brown color.
6. Pour immediately into the pear pulp (the syrup will sizzle and harden, but dissolve again as the preserves cook).
7. Add the remaining sugar, cloves, cinnamon, and ginger.
8. Cook uncovered, until thick (about 45 minutes).
9. Stir frequently as it begins to thicken to prevent it from sticking.
10. Stir in lemon juice just before removing it from heat.
11. Pour hot mixture into steralized 1/2 pint jars, put on lid, and crew band tightly.
12. Process in boiling water bath for 15 minutes.

Reviews

[Nicest of the damned]

I never did go for the butters but decided I'd better do something with all those apples and pears I gathered this summer. The caramel gives this recipe some major wow factor, Thanks for sharing. I've made it twice this week, it's lovely!

[PaulaG]

Let me join with the other reviewers and say awesome stuff! While I have enjoyed this recipe before I have never made it myself until yesterday. My food mill has be relegated to the abyss that is called a garage so the pears were cored and peeled before the first cooking. My stick blender was used to puree them. The yield was 6 cups so I decided to reduce the amount of sugar by 1 cup. Mixed Spice - Traditional Old Fashioned English Pudding Spice was used for the spices. The finished product was still sweet enough for us. A splatter screen was used during the final cooking and is highly recommended. The caramelized sugar gives this butter the beautiful color. Carol, thank you for the pears and for a great recipe.

[La Dilettante]

My whole house smells wonderful! I have a batch on the stove now, and it tastes divine. One caution: Be careful with that caramel! I had it just right, turned off the heat, then stepped away for just a few seconds to get a spatula, and the retained heat burnt it black! No problem; I started over, but...newbies to caramelizing, be warned.

I'll make this again, for sure. Thanks!