To ten gallons of water add six gallons of the best molasses,
mixing them well together. Put it into a large kettle over a good
fire; let it come to a hard boil, and skim it as long as any scum
continues to rise. Then take out half the liquid, and put it into
a tub. Have ready eight bushels of fine sound apples, pared, cored
and quartered. Throw them gradually into the liquid that is still
boiling on the fire. Let it continue to boil hard, and as it
thickens, add by degrees the other half of the molasses and water,
(that which has been put into the tub.) Stir it frequently to
prevent its scorching, and to make it of equal consistence
throughout. Boil it ten or twelve hours, continuing to stir it. At
night take it out of the kettle, and set it in tubs to cool;
covering it carefully. Wash out the kettle and wipe it very dry.
Next morning boil the apple butter six or eight hours longer; it
should boil eighteen hours altogether. Half an hour before you
take it finally out, stir in a pound of mixed spice; cloves,
allspice, cinnamon, and nutmeg, all finely powdered. When entirely
done, put up the apple butter in stone or earthen jars. It will
keep a year or more.
It can, of course, be made in a smaller quantity than that given
in the above receipt; and also at any time in the winter; fresh
cider not being an ingredient, as in the most usual way of making
apple butter.