Whether you have apple trees on your property, participate in a gleaning program or buy them at the local markets, Fall is apple time! Apples are perfect for jelly making because they are high in pectin which means they set up without the use of commercial pectin. Jellies are great with peanut butter (ultimate PB&J), but they are also wonderful for glazing tarts or meats. It’s always handy to have some on hand and they make super gifts.
From the National Centre for Home Food Preservation, here are three apply jelly variations.
Plain or spiced Apple Jelly
6 lbs apples washed, stems and tails removed and chopped (don’t peel or core)
4 cups water
(for a spiced version, add a cinnamon stick during the cooking time)
Apple- Cranberry Jelly
3.5 lbs apples prepared as above
½ lb cranberries
4 cups water
Apple-Blueberry Jelly
3.5 lbs apples prepared as above
½ lb blueberries
4 cups water
Step 1: Extract the Juice
Add fruit and water in a large heavy bottomed pan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 20-25 minutes until apples are soft. Pour into a dampened jelly bag or cheesecloth lined sieve allowing the juices to gently release into a bowl. Don’t press or squeeze as it will result in mirky jelly. For each recipe, the extracted juice should measure 4 cups.
Step 2: Make the Jelly
To the 4 cups of juice, add 2 TBSP bottled lemon juice and three cups of sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil rapidly and cook stirring often until the jelly sets which will take 15 to 20 minutes. Check the set using the wrinkle test placing a tsp of jelly on a frozen plate and then draw your finger through the jelly. If it wrinkles it is done. Skim as necessary.
Step 3: Can the Jelly
Once the jelly reaches the set point, fill hot jars leaving a ¼ inch headspace. Clean jar rims. Affix lids and rings and tighten to ‘finger-tip tight’. Process jars in a water bath or atmospheric steam canner for 10 minutes adjusting for altitude. Let the jars rest for 5 minutes before removing to a heat proof surface. Leave to cool down for 24 hours. Check seals, label, and store. Yield is about 4 250ml jars.
Step 4: Optional Uses of Pulp
Put the pulp from the jelly bag through a food mill to remove seeds and skins. This will create an apple sauce which can be frozen for use in baking or simply eaten. The apple sauce can also be dehydrated to make delicious and nutritious fruit leathers. Dehydrate at 125 for 10 to 12 hrs.
Apple jellies three ways! Simple, versatile and a great way to preserve this wonderful Fall fruit.
preservingwithmartha@gmail.com
No Comments