Wash and cut the apples into quarters. Add them to a large pot with about 4 cups of water and start heating. Add cinnamon stick, half a vanilla bean (or some extract), star anise, and zest of one orange and 1 tablespoon sugar.

Cook the apples for 30 minutes without covering the pot. Then, cover and let the cider simmer on lower heat for about 2 more hours.

After about 2 ½ hours of cooking, remove from the heat and allow to cool completely . Then, using a handheld potato masher, turn the apples into applesauce inside the pot to fully release their flavors.

Pour the cider through a strainer to remove all the apple pulp.

You can either use any kitchen strainer and a wooden spoon to strain the liquid.

Serve warm, either by itself or with whipped cream and caramel sauce. Store the in the refrigerator in mason jars for 5-7 days.

Wash and peel, core and chop the apples. Then in a large pot, bring the apples and cider to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking or burning. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the apples are soft, 30 to 35 minutes. Use a potato masher, fork or immersion blender to roughly mash the mixture. Return the apple mixture to the heat and stir in the sugar, lemon juice, salt, cinnamon, mace, all spice and nutmeg.

Continue to simmer until the mixture has thickened and becomes a deep rich brown, about 1 ½ hours. The mixture will be relatively smooth but may have a few chunks. I wanted smooth apple butter so pureed the apple butter in a blender.

Store the apple butter in a covered container in the refrigerator or pour the finished apple butter into sterilized jars, leaving a quarter-inch of head space.

Seal the jars and process for seven to 10 minutes in a boiling-water canner. Store the processed jars in a cool, dark place. Processed, this apple butter will keep for up to six months. Once jars have been opened, store them in the refrigerator, where they will last for up to one week.