Fruit butter is made by cooking fruits until soft, pressing through a sieve, and adding sugar. This mixture is cooked until thick enough to spread when cold. Fruits may be blended for flavor and color. Some combinations used are apples with grape juice, plums or quince. White or granulated brown sugar may be used. Brown sugar gives a darker butter with light fruits and a more pronounced flavor with bland fruits. Spices usually added to fruit butters are a mixture of 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon each of ground allspice and cloves per gallon of butter. Ginger is good with pears--1 or 2 teaspoons ground ginger per gallon of butter. For a spicy flavor in light-colored butter, cook with whole spices tied loosely in a cheesecloth bag; remove after butter is cooked. Lemon juice may be added to bland fruits.

GENERAL DIRECTIONS:

Use sound, ripe fruit or firm portions of windfalls or culls. Wash fruit thoroughly and prepare as follows:

APPLES: Peel and slice or quarter. use apples alone, or equal parts apples and cider, or cider and water.

GRAPES: Crush fruit and cook in own juice.

PEACHES: Scald and remove skins, if desired. Remove pits; crush and cook in own juice.

PEARS: Remove stems, but not cores and skins. Quarter or slice. Add half as much water as fruit. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons lemon juice per gallon of fruit pulp.

PLUMS: Halve or quarter. Remove pits. Crush and cook in its own juice.

SPECIFIC STEPS:

Cook until fruit is soft, stirring constantly.

Press through a colander or food mill, then through a fine sieve to remove all fibrous material so pulp is smooth.

Measure pulp; add sugar, about 1/2 as much sugar as fruit pulp.

Add 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt to each gallon of butter.

Boil rapidly, stirring constantly to prevent scorching. As butter becomes thick, reduce heat.

Add spices and lemon juice if used.

Continue cooking until butter is thick and almost flakes from a spoon. Or test for doneness by pouring a small quantity onto a cold dish. The butter is done when no rim of liquid separates around the edge of the butter.

Pour boiling hot butter into hot, clean, sterilized jars; seal at once.