Apple Jelly
Makes 4 - 6 jars | Prep & Cook: 2 days
Here is an easy-to-follow apple jelly recipe. For my version I used some really special Irish heirloom varieties which I picked up on a recent visit to the Irish Seed Savers in County Clare. A video featuring my time there can be found below.
From mid-summer through to autumn I am always scouring my garden and the surrounding area for windfall and crab apples. While they may not be great for eating, they are a preservers best friend. I usually make huge gluts of jams, jellies and chutneys to see me through the darker months of the year.
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Knife
Scales
Large pot x 2
Peeler
Jelly bag / muslin
Large towel
Measuring jug
Sieve
Jars
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2 1/2kg apples (crab or windfall)
2 ½ litres water
2 unwaxed lemons
1 cinnamon stick
3 star anise
6 cloves
sugar
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Wash apples and chop into quarters. Don’t remove the skin, core or seeds. Cut away any bruised or softened parts. Add to a large pot with the water. Peel the rind off the lemons, being careful not to go down to the bitter white pith. Set the rest of the lemons aside for later. Add to pot along with aromatic spices. Cook on a controlled simmer for approx. 1 hour until everything is completely reduced to a pulp.
Turn the pulp out into a jelly bag or a muslin-lined colander and allow to drip overnight. This will extract the pectin-rich juice. Don’t press, just allow gravity to do its work. Drip into a preserving pan or a large pot. you can opt to cover the whole thing with a large sheet of cloth or a towel to protect from dust or flies.
The following day discard the pulp and measure the juice. Allow 400g sugar for every 600ml liquid. Warm the sugar in a low oven. This helps it integrate quicker and leads to a fresher taste and colour.
Sterilise jars by boiling them in a large pot for a few minutes. I usually dry them out in a low oven afterwards, being careful not to contaminate the insides or lids with my hands.
Squeeze the juice from the two lemons through a strainer and add into the apple juice. Add to the stovetop. Bring to a boil and add the warmed sugar. Stir over a gentle heat until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat and rapidly boil uncovered without stirring for about 15 minutes.
You can test if the jelly is ready to set by placing a small saucer in the freezer. Add a blob to the plate, wait a moment and push your finger through it. If it catches and wrinkles it is ready. If not add back to the heat and boil for a few more minutes until ready. Pot immediately.