1 pound Granny Smith apples
1 pound Gravenstein apples (or other sweet-tart apple)
1 pound Red or Golden Delicious apples
1 to 2 cups sugar depending on your preference
(I have done this without adding sugar and prefer it done that way now. I also prefer using only Granny Smith and Jonagold or Pink Lady apples)
Peel and core apples, chop up and put in the crockpot on low for about 4 hours. Puree, or put cooked apples through a food mill, then return to the crock pot.
Continue to cook on high until it reaches a butter consistency.
Stir in 1/4 teaspoon ginger, 1/2 teaspoon cloves, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 21 caramels. Cook and stir until completely mixed and the consistency is to your liking.
Check the temperature. Try to get it between 140 and 165 degrees F. If your crock does not get hot enough, transfer it to a pan and heat it on the stove.
If you’re lucky like me to have a humungous crock pot, double the recipe and for the initial cooking I have let the apples cook overnight (7 hours) without having it affect the final product.
Can leaving 1/2-inch head space and water bath - pints for 10 minutes and 1/2 pints for 5 minutes.