Apple Jelly Recipe

Ingredients:

  6 pounds of apples (start a step 1 below) or 6 cups of apple juice (start at step 6 below)

  About 3 to 4 cups of water or apple juice for a stronger flavor.

  Your choice of sweetener.

  1/2 teaspoon cinnamon.

  1/2 packet of dry no-sugar added pectin.

Directions:

1. The most important thing is to choose the right apples. You want apples that are sweet, do not use sour apples. Some good ones to use are Red Delicious, Gala, Fuji and Rome. You should also use a mixture of these apples and not just a single type. If you are simply going to start with apple juice, then make sure it is fresh, canned or frozen with no added sweeteners. If you are starting with apple juice, then skip to step 6 below.
2. Wash the apples in cold water and remove any stickers or labels. Then peel all the apples.
3. If you have an apple corer then use that, otherwise, use a paring knife to chop the apples. Make sure you remove seeds, hard parts, mush or dark areas.
4. Place three to four cups of water in the bottom of a large, thick-bottomed pot or about two inches of water in the pot. Place the lid on the pot and heat on high. Once it is boiling, turn it down to medium-high and add the apples. Cook until the apples are completely soft all the way through.
5. Place the soft cooked apples through a jelly strainer or pour them through a cheesecloth in a colander. If you don't mind chunky jelly you don't have to sieve the apples at all, simply allow the juice to stand for 20 minutes and then pour off the clear liquid to use. The sieve option allows you to have clearer jelly. No matter what option you choose, you should have about six cups of apple juice.
6. Depending on the jelly you are making you will need to use a specific amount of sugar and pectin. Each brand of pectin will have its own directions. You can also use the following table to help guide you:

Type of Jelly	Type of Pectin	Sweetener
Regular	No Sugar or Regular	7 Cups Sugar
Low Sugar	No Sugar	4.5 Cups Sugar
Lower Sugar	No Sugar	2 Cups Sugar and 2 Cups Splenda
No Sugar	No Sugar	4 Cups Splenda
Natural	No Sugar	3 Cups Fruit Juice

1. In a small bowl, mix together about 1/4 cup of sweetener with the pectin. Remember that apple jelly often only requires 1/2 pack of pectin.
2. Stir the pectin mixture into the apple juice. Place the entire mix in a big pot on the stove over medium to high heat. Stir often enough to prevent burning. It will take about five to ten minutes to reach a full boil.
3. Add the rest of the sugar once it has reached a full boil. Boil for 1 minute.
4. Test for jell thickness. Keep a metal tablespoon in a glass of ice water. Scoop a half spoonful of the mix and allow it to cool to room temperature on the spoon. If the thickness is what you want, then the jelly is ready. If it isn't right then, you can add more pectin and bring the ingredients to a boil for another minute.
5. Fill your canning jars 1/4 inch from the top and seal the lids. Can according to instructions.
6. Apple jelly can be stored 12 months and is safe to use that entire time. However, after 6 to 8 months the jelly will get darker in color and start to get runny. So for best results be sure to use within 6 months.