I made this pear butter a while ago but just never blogged it. It is really tasty on your toast in the morning, or even over some ice cream in the evening. 
You could still make this now to put into gift baskets for Christmas. Something that is homemade and can be used up make the perfect gift for friends, neighbors, co-workers, teachers…and the list goes on…
Ingredients:
- 4 pounds medium pears, quartered and cored (4 cups puree)
- 1 cups sugar
- 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 cup orange juice
Directions:
- Place pears into a large pot over medium heat, and add just enough water to cover the bottom of the pot and keep them from sticking, about 1/2 cup. Cook until the pears are soft, about 30 minutes. Press pears through a sieve or food mill, and measure out 2 quarts of the pulp.
- Pour the pear pulp and sugar into a large saucepan and stir to dissolve sugar. Stir in the orange zest, nutmeg and orange juice. Cook over medium heat until the mixture is thick enough to mound in a spoon. When the mixture begins to thicken, stir frequently to prevent scorching on the bottom. This will take about 1 hour.
- Ladle the pear butter into hot sterile jars, leaving 1/4 inch of headspace. Remove air bubbles by sliding a metal spatula around where the pear butter touches the glass. Wipe jar rims clean, and seal with lids and rings. Process for 10 minutes in a boiling water bath. The water should cover the jars by 1 inch. Check with your local extension for exact processing times for your area.
Jeanine..I also made some pear butter when the pears were in season. Very nice warmed up then served with yogurt and granola! I didn’t follow any recipe but I think the orange zest would be a wonderful thing to add.
Your pear butter looks delicious Jeanine!
Looks delish!
I may try to make it with splenda sugar – what do you think?