Something bright and sweet just for you and I. And a thank you for yesterdays tremendous response in the Lounge of Comments. When we were little and living by the beach, and before our Mum became ill, we used to have what Mum called a family hug. There were eight of us and we would all join in and become a big ball of hug. The smallest was always in the middle. Stretching our arms out trying to hold our whole family in one go. Yesterday felt like a family hug. All supporting each other. And I felt like the smallest, right in the middle. Though as a child I was always the big sister. So Thank you.
Apple Butter is easy to make. This is John’s mother’s recipe. I have not encountered Apple Butter in New Zealand. This feels to me like a very American spread. Fill the crock pot with peeled and chopped apples. This old fashioned recipe calls for three cups of sugar, I did not put that much in though, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon cloves. Cook on low stirring at intervals, until dark brown and thick. Make sure it is quite a low heat, as it will scorch and that would be bad. Cook for about 8 hours.
After giving away some to The Matriarch and the Old Codger I decided to make ice cream with the last jar.
This is when the Apple Butter really came into its own. It is very sweet anyway so I did not need to add any extra sugar to the ice cream. It has a lovely full flavour in the ice cream. 
Easy Apple Butter Ice Cream
2 cups of cold milk
2 cups cold heavy delicious full cream
1 tiny teaspoon vanilla
1 full big cup of cold apple butter.
Chill until completely cold.
Churn into ice cream and freeze. Now I know that this could have been a more complicated recipe but I like easy and simple. And the apple flavour was perfect.
Good morning. Have a lovely day. I am not sure what today holds for me. We will have to see and I will tell you about it tomorrow at dawn. Take care.
celi
What I wrote on this day a year ago – Part Two of the Day I Melted my Mother’s Silver Tea Pot. Living by the sea as a kid was wonderful. The freedom of the ocean gets into your bones.
The Kitchen's Garden 
81 responses to “Easy Apple Butter Ice-cream”
So very pleased your blog family made you feel so loved. e
morning elaine, hope all is well with you up in those mountains. c
I hope all is well with you my friend, we are forever hear to support you 🙂
A beautiful ice cream today as well 🙂
Hugs
Uru
Morning Chip.. keep up the good work.. c
That sounds amazing.
It is not too bad Bill and Good Morning! c
I like apple butter but I never thought of it in ice cream. Sounds good!
Apple Butter is a bit too sweet for me, but in ice cream it is superb.. c
I’d scream your your ice cream 😉
Morning Mad! c
Well, this sounds delicious. I had not thought of apple in icecream.
John said the same thing but two bowls later he was convinced! c
What an excellent panel of ice cream pics. Very Andy Warhol:)
Sometimes it is fun to play .. and Andy sure led the way .. c
Your Mom was wonderful, loving, and caring and so are you Celi! Please know we are all with you, and although haven’t met in flesh and blood, that we are with you and love you mentally and in spirit. Wishing you a wonderful and peacefully happy day. Di
Morning Diane, and thank you.. by the way i did see your delightful frog pic on your FB page.. poor you.. you did have rather a wide smiling mouth on that tiny baby face! Beautiful though.. c
YUM! I have foraged what feels like 100 lbs of crab apples off my neighbor’s tree. I’m going to make apple butter with them and THEN the ice cream!
BTW, do you take interns? I think I may need to intern with you for a few days… I spend DAYS putting up fruits and veggies, mostly freezing and dehydrating. Only two humans and 2 dogs are eating at my house usually, and the food didn’t last long at all! I can’t imagine how much food (and storage) is needed to eat-from-home for a whole year! I soooooooo admire you!
Oh crab apple jelly! well do a little apple butter then make the jelly. I long for crab apple jelly.. lucky you. I work and work at it but even this year I don’t think i have enough for a whole year. The potatoes and onions alone need to be mammoth and already some of the onions are turning because of the humidity.. this year i will not achieve my goal as far as canned and frozen fruit and vegetables, maybe next year though.. we have done well on the protein side though, lots of meat for the freezers.. c
Ooh, scrumity! You are such a clever girl making ice cream with the apple butter.
🙂 Mandy xo
It is good, when the season comes to you maybe you could try it! c
Well Celi sounding better today and it must be nice and warm that you’re advocating ice cream… I have saved this for later in the year as Our Spring that sprung, has had a mishap, or trip up and Winter has returned overnight… damn shame I was used to shorts and tee shirts again as I hate longs… and now I’m back in them… double damn… hope you have a good day and let the cows in that good looking fodder of yours for an hour or two…
It is very hot still, in the 90’s each day, so ice cream is still welcome. I hope your spring comes soon.. and you can get your legs back out! c
Mmmmmmm, sounds yummy! Now I have a new recipe for apple butter to use more of my apples – thanks!
I am running out of apples!! sad! c
You know I’m really beginning to hate that I am lactose intolerant 😦 this sounds delish. We are freezing here again, looks like we might be expecting snow again. Last time it snowed here was 1981 and now maybe twice in one month! Sounds like our Spring is going to be as crazy as yours was. Laura
Oh dear.. the extremes are getting extremer.. 1981 seems a long time ago!! (laughter!).. it must be such a trial being lactose intolerant, i found my problems went right away when i started on the raw milk.. you need your own cow! c
Yep, and a few sheeps and hens and cats and oh yes – a Farmy! 🙂 Laura
I think you need to come and stay with me.. wait til i have the guest house retirement summer cottage built! c
YAY 🙂
We do family hugs with the kids too! Miss A is always scrunching her way in between our legs! I love, love, love the pictures of your ice cream. And apple butter is a phenomenal flavor!
The kids would love it! Though not at the same time as the family hug!! morning kristy c
My husband and I have done those family hugs, too, except individually with each of our children. We would get the child in the middle and then hug and kiss like crazy and everyone would be laughing…
ah yes, hysteria does seem to be mandatory! c