Caramel Apple Butter

• 3 lbs apples
• 1/2 cup water or 1/2 cup apple juice
• 2 cups white sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 21 caramels

1. Peel, core and chop apples.
2. Add apples and water/applejuice into a large pot.
3. Over medium high heat cook apples until just tender.
4. Remove apples with a slotted spoon-puree using a food mill, food processor, whatever you have on hand. (discard fluid in pot).
5. Return puree to pot.
6. Add the sugar stirring well.
7. Return to medium high heat-you want mixture to bubble.
8. *Reduce heat and simmer, stirring frequently until butter is thick and has a spreadable consistency.
9. Add the ginger, cloves and cinnamon, stirring well.
10. Add the caramels.
11. Turn the heat up to medium low, stirring constantly until caramels are melted.
12. Ladle butter into clean hot jars leaving 1/2 inch head space. Seal.
13. Process in a boiling water bath canner 10 minutes for pints, 5 minutes for half pints.
14. *Using a frozen saucer place a spoonful of butter in center. If no rim of liquid forms, your butter is done.

apples, water, white sugar, ground ginger, ground cloves, cinnamon, caramels

Taken from www.food.com/recipe/caramel-apple-butter-142365 (may not work)