Caramel Spice Pear Butter

Total Time: 1 hr 50 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 30 mins

Ingredients

• 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

Recipe

• 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.