Finally! I waited and waited for my clear jel to arrive to make homemade apple pie filling. I even ventured out to the store and invested in an apple peeler (the hand crank, corer, peeler, slicer) which was SO worth it - I highly recommend one as they make peeling a snap (cost approx. $16-19) This recipe is a bit more involved as far as ingredients but, I had apple cider from making apple butter. I read a bunch of different recipes and did not like that many of them didn't narrow down how many apples you are to use. I took the time here to cut and measure how many apples I used and size I used so that maybe it will save you a small hassle... this recipe is a snap to make. I suggest that you bring all the filling ingredients (minus the apples) to a medium simmer and mix your clear jel and some of the cold water called for in the recipe together in a separate cup, then add to filling and bring to a boil (you don't want any clumps of clear jel in your filling/syrup) *If you DO get clear jel clumps, you can use an immersion blender to blend them away. Enjoy ~ Diane. Homemade Apple Pie Filling Yield: approx.4 quarts (or 8 pints) Ingredients: 12 cups apples, peeled and sliced into 1/2 inch pieces (I used 5 large jonagold & fuji apples and 6 small jonathan & gala apples) 3 cups sugar 1 cup Clear Jel starch**(see note below) 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon Rodelle Vanilla Bean Paste 2 1/2 cups cold water 2 cups apple cider or apple juice 1/2 cup bottled *lemon juice (plus additional if adding to water after slicing apples, see note below) *Fruit Fresh (optional to lemon juice, see note below) Instructions: Peel apple slices and place slices in a pot of cold water with *fruit fresh or lemon juice. Drain the apples and boil the apple slices in smaller batches for 1 minute in boiling water. Place warmed apples slices in a large bowl and cover with a towel while you prepare the sauce below. Combine sugar, clear jel, cinnamon, vanilla and nutmeg in a large pot with the cold water and apple cider or juice. Stir and cook over medium high heat until mixture thickens and begins to boil. Add the bottled lemon juice and cook for 1 minute. Add in the warm sliced apples to the mixture, stir to combine and immediately ladle into hot jars, leaving 1 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles with a long plastic knife or thin spatula. Wipe rims and cover with lids and ring bands. Process (Quarts and Pints) in a water bath for 25 minutes (see notes for high altitude processing time). Let cool 24 hours and ensure lids have sealed. Store any unsealed jars in the fridge and use within a few weeks. To bake a pie, simply pour it into a prepared pie shell. Bake at 425 degrees until filling is bubbling or follow your own pie recipe for two crust fruit pies. *Notes: Store sliced apples in a solution of water and *lemon juice (2 tablespoons lemon juice per large bowl of water) to prevent browning until ready to proceed with recipe OR add *fruit fresh to the water. **Clear Jel - is a thickener/starch that is used in high heat canning - do not use any other thickening agent (such as flour, cornstarch or tapioca) Only use 'Cook Type' Clear Jel for this recipe. Increase processing time for high altitude as needed: 1,001-3,000 ft 5 minutes, 3,001-6,000 ft 10 minutes, 6,001+ ft 15 minutes. Recipe Adapted from USDA Home Canning Guide. Photos by: Diane Baker for Canning and Cooking at Home What a better way to start off the day then making something with apples. I like the idea of this recipe because it has many uses! You can thicken more and use as a pie filling with pecans, warm and pour over french toast or pancakes, drizzle onto or into your Fall or Holiday desserts and even top onto baked brie as a wonderful warm appetizer. I likes that this "jam" wasn't SUPER gelled and had just the right amount of "give" - just thick enough to consider it 'jam' and thin enough to scoop and use in so many other dishes! As a bonus, your house smells wonderful when making this! Enjoy - Diane. **updated New & Improved! 9/2017
The Best Caramel Apple Jammy Stuff Ingredients: 6 cups diced peeled apples (1/8-inch cubes) 1 cup apple juice, preferred (or water) 1 Tablespoon lemon juice 1 package powdered fruit pectin ** 2 cups white granulated sugar 2 cups packed brown sugar 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 dash of vanilla bean paste *optional Directions: Combine apples, apple juice *or water and lemon juice in a large sauce-pot or dutch oven. Simmer, covered for 10 minutes. Stir in all but, 1/4 cup of sugar and bring to a full rolling boil, stirring frequently. Add in pectin mixed with remaining sugar. Return to a full rolling boil. Boil hard 1 minute, stirring frequently. Once thickened, remove from heat; stir in cinnamon, nutmeg & vanilla. Taste to see if jam needs any more cinnamon or nutmeg. Pour hot jam into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch head-space. Wipe rims of jars with a dampened clean paper towel; adjust two-piece metal canning lids. Process in a Boiling Waterbath Canner 5 minutes, adjusting for your altitude. (add one minute for every 1,000 foot rise in elevation) Yield: 6 half-pints. Recipe Note: ** I like using (Pink Box) Sure Jell Premium Fruit Pectin in this recipe. You can add 1/2 teaspoon of butter to reduce foaming. TRY DIFFERENT FLAVOR PROFILES: Apple Pie Jam I - use all white sugar: Cinnamon, Nutmeg & Allspice (or Mace) Apple Pie Jam II - use all white sugar: Ginger & Cardamom Salted Caramel Jam: Kosher Salt, to taste & Vanilla Bean Paste Recipe adapted from: NCHFP Apple Preserves Photos by: Diane Baker for Canning and Cooking at Home |