When you grow your own apple tree, you quickly learn how many varieties of preserves you can make to last until the next season. This recipe is simple to do. The most difficult part is staying on top of the fruit as it reaches the optimal time to complete the recipe.
Apples naturally contain pectin, especially in the skins. Generally the optimum time to pick apples high in pectin is when the seeds inside are starting to turn brown, but not fully brown.
Making Apple Jelly
Ingredients
5 cups apple juice
7 cups sugar
Directions
Getting Juice from the Apples
- Cut apples into pieces no need to remove the skin or core.
- Place cut apples into a blancher or pasta pot that has a sieve. Add water until the apples are just covered.
- Boil the pot on medium heat until the fruit has become mushy soft. Should your apples be a light flavour and you want a more intense taste, add another batch to the existing water.
- Remove from heat and drain the apples into a jelly bag, cheese cloth lined strainer or an old clean pillow case.
Making the Jelly
- Into a large pot add the apple juice. Over medium heat bring the mixture to a hard rolling boil.
- Remove from the heat and add all the sugar at once. 1 tsp of butter at this point helps eliminate some of the foam.
- Return the mixture to the heat and boil 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and skim off any foam.
- Being careful not to burn your self, add the mixture to a sterilized jar and seal. Should the lids not seal store jelly in the fridge or process in a canner for 20 minutes.
Recipe should yield five 250 ml jars.
Making Apple Pancake Syrup
Now you may be wondering why this recipe is called Apple Jelly and Apple Pancake Syrup. If you recall an apple with the seeds beginning to turn brown but not completely brown are high in pectin. Waiting 2-3 weeks the seed within the apple will turn brown and the level of pectin within the apple will decrease. This would be bad if you were hoping to have apple jelly set, but is great for making the syrup.
Follow the recipe as above. I will for the syrup add a couple of cinnamon sticks to the juice as I boil it.
Place into sterilized jars and seal. If jars do not seal process in a canner for 20 minutes.
Note:
I would avoid using cute narrow top jars for the syrup. If the apples should still be high in pectin the syrup is likely to set and become difficult to get out of the jar.