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Honey Lemon Pear Butter

Source of Recipe

From "Preserving by the Pint" by Marisa McClellan


Recipe Introduction

"When I was in my early 20s, I moved to Philadelphia. It has turned out to be a wonderful choice for me, save for the fact that it put 3,000 miles between my parents' home in Oregon. Whenever I'd get excessively homesick, my mom would quickly make a pint jar of honey-sweetened pear butter, wrap it well, and drop it into the mail for me. It would always arrive sealed and in one piece, tasting exactly like home. This is how she made it."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 2 pounds Bartlett pears (5 to 6 pears)
â—¦ â…“ cup honey
â—¦ 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
â—¦ Zest and juice of 1 lemon


Recipe

Prepare a boiling water bath and two half-pint jars. Place two lids in a small saucepan of water and bring to a gentle simmer. Wash, core, and quarter the pears. Place the pears in a medium saucepan with 2 tablespoons of water. Set the pan over medium-low heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until the pears are quite smooth.

Scrape the softened pears into the carafe of a blender and purée until the skins disappear and the flesh is quite tender. Return the purée to the saucepan and place over low heat. Cook, stirring regularly, for 45 to 55 minutes, until the pear purée has thickened a great deal and sits up tall in the bowl of a spoon. If it's not done, it will run to the edges of the spoon and will be no higher than the rim.

Add the honey, lemon juice and zest, and cinnamon. Taste and adjust the sweet and tart levels. Remove the butter from the heat and funnel into the prepared jars, leaving ½ inch of headspace. Wipe the rims, apply the lids and rings, and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.

Makes 2 (half-pint) jars