Fruit Butter Recipes

I'm out of commission for a couple of days because I have a stinkin' kidney stone. However, Aunt Michelle asked me about incorporating fruit butters into recipes. I am not very familiar with fruit butters - making them or using them in recipes, so it was interesting research and passed some time this afternoon for me. 

Pear Butter Recipes:

Oat and pear butter muffin

 Ingredients:

• 1 large egg,
• 1/2 cup, light brown sugar
• 1 cup, pear butter
• 1/2 cup, milk

 Dry Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups, instant oatmeal
• 1 1/4 cups, plain, unbleached flour
• 1 tsp, baking powder
• 1 tsp, baking soda
• 1 tsp, ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp, salt

Topping:

• 1/4 cup, instant oatmeal
• 1/4 cup, light brown sugar
• 1 tsp, ground cinnamon
• 2 tbsp, melted butter

Directions:

• Pre-heat oven to 375F.
• Grease standard sized, muffin tin, reserve. In a small bowl, combine topping ingredients, reserve.
• Make muffins; whisk eggs with sugar, pear butter, and milk.
• Stir in dry ingredients to muffin mix, till combined.
• Fill each cup 2/3 full, top with topping mix, place in the oven, and cook for approximately 20 minutes (gently press top of the muffin with tip of your finger, if it springs back, they are ready).

Grilled King Salmon with Pear Butter and Roasted Fingerling Potatoes

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 (6-ounce) Alaskan salmon fillets
• Salt and freshly ground white pepper

Directions:

• preheat grill to medium-high and coat with oil
• season both sides of each salmon fillet with salt and pepper and place on grill
• grill until the center is still slightly pink, 6 to 8 minutes total, rotating fish 90 degrees halfway during cooking on each side to obtain has marks
• remove from grill
• [if the pear butter is already made, warm sauce before serving; be careful  not to let it boil or it will separate]
• place the salmon on the plate with the roasted potatoes, drizzle the pear butter over the salmon and serve immediately

Herb Roasted Fingerling Potatoes:

• 2 pounds assorted small potatoes, such as fingerling, Yukon gold, or red bliss, scrubbed
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt 
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 1/2 tablespoons minced mixed fresh herbs, such as rosemary, thyme, and sage
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic

Directions: 

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Halve any larger potatoes so that they will all be about the same size. 
• Put potatoes in a large bowl and season with olive oil, salt, and pepper, tossing to coat.
• Transfer potatoes and any oil from the bowl to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and spread into a single layer.
• Roast for 20 minutes, stirring potatoes halfway through with a long-handled spoon. 
• Remove potatoes from oven and sprinkle with freshly minced herbs and garlic. 
• Return potato mixture to the oven and roast an additional 15 minutes or until tender.
 

Roast Pork Loin with Peppery Pear Butter

Ingredients: 

• For the peppery pear butter: 2 1/2 cups peeled and cored pears, cut into chunks
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/2 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper

For the roast pork loin:

• 1 boneless pork loin, about 1 3/4 pounds
• salt to taste
• freshly ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons minced, fresh herbs (thyme, rosemary or tarragon)
• 2/3 cup dry white wine

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
•  Place the pork loin in a roasting pan and sprinkle with the herbs, salt and pepper.
•  Pour the wine into the bottom of the pan and baste occasionally. Roast the pork for about 1 1/2 hours until a meat thermometer reads 160°F.
•  While the pork is roasting, place the pear chunks in a large, heavy-bottomed, stainless-steel pot. Add the rest of the ingredients for the peppery pear butter.
• Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Simmer until the fruit becomes tender, about 20 minutes.
• Puree in a food mill or blender.
• Remove the pork loin from the oven and let sit for 15 minutes before slicing. Serve with the peppery pear butter. 

Pumpkin Butter Recipes:

Pumpkin Pecan Cheesecake

 Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup pumpkin butter
• 1 (9 inch) prepared graham cracker crust

Directions:

• Combine pecans and 1/4 cup brown sugar; cut in butter or margarine with a pastry blender until mixture is crumbly. Set aside.
• Beat cream cheese at high speed of an electric mixer until smooth. Add 1/3 cup brown sugar; beat well. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in pumpkin butter. Pour mixture into crust.
• Bake at 350 degrees F  for 40 minutes.
• Sprinkle pecan mixture over pie. Bake for 5 additional minutes, or until butter or margarine and sugar melt. Cool on a wire rack. Cover, and chill for at least 4 hours. 

Cheesecake Topped Brownies with Pumpkin Butter Swirl

Brownies:

• 1½ cups butter (3 sticks)
• ¾ lb (12 oz.) bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 6 large eggs
• 1½ cups dark brown sugar
• 1½ cups granulated sugar
• 3 tsp vanilla extract
• 1½ tsp salt
• 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa

Topping:

• 1 lb cream cheese, softened
• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 Tbs cornstarch
• 1 cup apricot jam
• 1 cup pumpkin butter

Directions:
 

• Preheat oven to 325°F. Line 12x17x1-inch baking pan (also known as a jelly roll pan/ or half sheet pan) with buttered parchment paper or foil.
• Prepare brownie layer: Melt butter and chocolate in top of double boiler (or carefully- in short bursts- in the the microwave). Set aside to cool slightly.
• In a large bowl, whisk 6 eggs, brown sugar, and 1½ cups granulated sugar together. Stir in 3 T. vanilla, salt, melted butter/chocolate, flour and cocoa. Pour into prepared pan and spread to the sides.

Prepare cheesecake layer: 

• Beat cream cheese using a mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Add remaining eggs, sugar, vanilla and cornstarch; beat until smooth and dollop all over the chocolate layer. Gently use a spoon to spread out evenly over the chocolate, trying not to dig into the chocolate layer. If you’re patient, it works out just fine.

• Whisk together jam and pumpkin butter in a small bowl. Drop spoonfuls onto cream cheese layer and draw swirls using a knife. Try to stay inside the cream cheese layer only and don’t pull up the chocolate with the knife.
• Bake until center tests clean, about 40 minutes. Cool completely before cutting.

Pumpkin Pancakes

Ingredients:

• 2 cups pancake mix
• 1 cup milk
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1/2 cup pumpkin butter

Directions:

• heat griddle or skillet over medium-high heat or electric griddle to 375 degrees F
• grease with cooking spray
• stir all ingredients until blended
• pour about 1/4 cup of mixture onto hot griddle
• cook until edges are dry; flip, cook until golden

Pumpkin Yogurt

Ingredients & directions:

• 1/2 cup yogurt
• 2 tablespoons of pumpkin butter
• whip together and serve

If anybody has recipes that incorporate different types of fruit butters, please let me know! I'd love to share them with people and post them for others to use. Michelle asked specifically for pear and pumpkin butters, but apple, prune, banana butter recipes are all welcome!

I hope to be back up soon cooking yummy dinners for Nick and I -- I know Nick cannot wait. Keep checking back. :)