Vanilla Pear Butter

Oh how I love this! When I was younger my sister's friend had a pear tree and their family would make pear butter every year. We'd always get a jar and it was so yummy.

I found this recipe online and love it. It fabulous in toast but also is great as a sauce (like applesauce). It's smooth and velvety on the tongue!



Vanilla Pear Butter

• About 15 medium Bartlett pears, peeled, cored and roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup water or apple juice
• 1 tsp lemon juice to prevent browning
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 vanilla bean (or 1 Tbsp real vanilla extract)
  

In a large saucepan combine pears, water or juice and ascorbic acid. Over medium heat cook pears about 20 minutes, until they begin to break up. Remove from heat and using a hand held blender, purée the mixture until totally smooth.

Add sugar and vanilla bean innards and return to heat. Cook on low, stirring often, until butter has reached desired consistency, or mounds on a spoon.

Fill 250ml sterilized jars, screw on lids and process in a boiling water for 10 minutes. Makes 5 to 7 jars.

Variation: substitute 1 cup of the sugar with a 1/2 cup of brown sugar and a 1/2 cup of maple syrup for a Maple Pear Butter.