Crabapple Jelly.

Such a pretty colour!

We have a beautiful crabapple tree in front of our house and, last year, I made my first-ever batch of jelly. It took forever to gel, the colour was pale, but it tasted pretty good!

This year, I followed the instructions a bit more carefully, had my husband’s help in prepping all of the crabapples (So! Much! Work!) and it turned out beautifully. Look at that colour! It’s a tart, sweet, lovely jelly.

Here’s the recipe:

Crabapple Jelly

Makes about 8 x 250 mL jars

Ingredients:

5.5 pounds crabapples
5 cups of water
1 pouch (85 mL) of liquid pectin
7 1/2 cups of sugar

Directions: 

1. Wash the crabapples, then remove stem and blossom ends. (Don’t peel them – they’ve got loads of pectin in them!) Chop coarsely.
2. Combine crabapples with water in a stainless steel saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and boil for 10 minutes.
3. Using a potato masher, crush the apples, then simmer 5 minutes longer. Remove from heat.
4. Pour the liquid and the apple mixture into a dampened jelly bag and let the juice drip for at least 2 hours or overnight. (Remember, if you squeeze the bag, the jelly will be cloudy – but it will get things done faster!)
5. Prepare 8 x 250 ml (half-pint) jars, lids and rings.
6. Measure 5 cups of the prepared apple juice into a large, deep stainless steel saucepan. Add all of the sugar.
7. Over high heat, bring the mixture to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down. Add liquid pectin.
8. Boil hard 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and skim off foam.
9. Pour or ladle the jelly into a hot jar, leaving 1/4 inch of head space.
10. Wipe jar rim, place lids and rings.
11. Process for 10 minutes.
12. When processing time is finished, remove canner lid and wait 5 minutes.
13. Remove jars and allow them to cool.
14. All jars should seal. If they don’t seal, place them in the fridge and eat them soon.

 

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Caramel Apple Jam.

Look at that gooey goodness!

This is the season for apples. Hoooboy, is it ever. And while you can always make apple sauce or apple butter (recipes later!) there’s something nice about making a gooey, caramel jam out of them.

Here’s the recipe:

Caramel Apple Jam

Makes 5 half pints. 

6 cups diced peeled apples (tart and sweet in combo)

1/2 cup water
1 package powdered fruit pectin
2 cups cane sugar
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1. In a heavy pot, combine the apples and water. Cook and stir over low heat until apples are soft.
2. Stir in pectin and bring to a rolling boil, stirring constantly.
3. In a bowl while you are waiting for the rolling boil, measure the sugars and spices.
4. Add the measured ingredients and return to a rolling boil. Boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
5. Mash or use an immersion blender if there are bits of apple that have not cooked down into the jam.
6. Remove from the heat and ladle hot jam into hot sterilized jars, leaving 1/4-in. headspace.
7. Process for 10 minutes in a water bath at a full boil.

 

Habanero Pepper Jelly.

Hot and sweet!

You can put this jelly on toast, on panini, on crackers-with-cheese, or you can eat it on a spoon. Sweet but with a major kick from the hot, hot habanero peppers!

Here’s the recipe:

Hot Pepper Jelly 

Makes 7 half pints.

2 1/2 cups finely chopped red  habanero peppers
1 small sweet bell pepper finely chopped
1 1/2 cup white vinegar (5% acidity)
6 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon butter (this reduces foam)
6 oz liquid pectin

Directions:

1. Coarsely chop peppers with seeds and place in blender with vinegar, sugar and pulse to mix well.
2. Transfer to pot, add butter and bring to a rolling boil for 1 minute. Cook for 5 minutes at a steady boil.
3. Quickly add pectin and stir. Allow mixture to return to a boil and cook for 3 more minutes stirring a few times.
4. Remove from heat and skim off any foam.
5. Put into half pint jars and seal in water bath for 10 minutes.