Crab Apple Jam Recipes

CRABAPPLE JAM

Steps:

• Cook crabapples in 2 cups water until they begin to pop (about 20 minutes).
• Press the cooked crabapples through a sieve or food mill.
• In a large saucepan or kettle, combine pulp, lemon juice, apple juice and water.
• Add honey.
• Bring to a rolling boil; boil 1 minute, stirring frequently.
• When the jam starts to "sheet" from the edge of the spoon it has begun to jell.
• Remove from heat.
• Pour into sterilized jars, seal, and process 10 minutes in boiling water bath.

CRAB APPLE JELLY

Steps:

• Prepare your apples by washing, removing the stems and cutting off the blossom ends. You can leave whole or cut in half. If your apples come from a wild tree (ie. not sprayed), you may want to cut in half to make sure the inside is good. That's what I did.
• Place prepared apples into a large stock pot and add water, just until it just peeks through the top of the apples (if any of your apples are floating, you've got too much). Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat and simmer, without stirring, until apples are softened, 10-15 minutes.
• While fruit is simmering, place a large colander over a bowl and line with tripled-up cheesecloth, a piece of muslin or a cotton pillow case.
• When fruit is tender, pour into prepared colander and leave to drain for 2-3 hours. RESIST THE URGE TO POKE, PRESS OR SQUEEZE the pulp to get more juice. It will make for a cloudy jelly. Just let gravity do it's work and discard the pulp when draining stops.
• Measure out the amount of juice and make note of how many cups of juice you have (I got 3 cups of juice out of this basket of apples). Add the juice to a large pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring, for about 20 minutes, skimming off any foam, as necessary.
• Meanwhile, measure out sugar. You'll need 3/4 cup of sugar for every cup of apple juice that you had. (So if you had 4 cups of juice, you'll need 3 cups of sugar). Place the sugar in a stainless steel or oven-proof bowl (or on a baking sheet, alternately) and pop into a 300° oven anywhere from 5-15 minutes, stirring it around a couple of times (time in the oven will vary depending on how much sugar/oven etc., so WATCH CLOSELY. It should be hot to the touch, but not so hot it starts to melt around the edges.).
• When sugar is hot, remove from oven. Remove pot with apple juice from the heat. Stir in the hot sugar just until it is dissolved. Place the pot back on the heat and WITHOUT STIRRING, boil for 5-8 minutes, until jelly reaches 220° on a thermometer or passes the cold plate test*.
• Ladle jelly into clean jars and leave with lids off until almost cool (without moving jars around). When jelly is almost cool, seal with lids. Let stand in a sunny window, undisturbed for 24 hrs. Wax and store.

MARY WYNNE'S CRABAPPLE JELLY

Steps:

• Remove stems and blossom ends from crabapples, and cut into quarters. Place them in a large stainless steel or other non-reactive pot or saucepan. Add enough water to be able to see, but no so much that the crabapples are floating. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and let simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. The apples should soften and change color.
• Strain the apples and juice through 2 or 3 layers of cheese cloth. You should have at least 4 cups of juice. Discard pulp, and pour the juice back into the pan. Bring to a simmer, and let cook for 10 minutes. Skim off any foam that comes to the top. Next, stir in the sugar until completely dissolved. Continue cooking at a low boil until the temperature reaches 220 to 222 degrees F (108 to 110 C). Remove from heat.
• Pour the jelly into sterile small decorative jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Process in a hot water bath to seal.

CRAB APPLE JELLY

Steps:

• Wash and drain the fruit, then cut the apples in half and add to a large, heavy-based saucepan with an equal quantity of water and the pared lemon zest. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20-25 mins until the apples are pulpy. Stir occasionally using the back of a wooden spoon to help break down the fruit.
• Remove from the heat and allow to cool a little. Place the fruit pulp in a jelly bag and allow the juice to drip through into a large bowl (this will take several hours, so doing this overnight is ideal). If you force the fruit through, this will create a cloudy jelly.
• Put two small, sterilised saucers in the freezer - you will use these to test the setting point of the jam. You can sterilise the saucers by washing them in hot soapy liquid, rinsing and placing in an oven at 180C/160C fan/gas 4 for 5 mins. Remove carefully and allow to cool.
• Weigh the fruity liquid and return to a large saucepan. Weigh three quarters of sugar to your total liquid amount (for example, if you have 400g of liquid, add 300g of sugar).
• Add the sugar to the juice with the lemon juice, and stir over a medium heat until completely dissolved. Turn up the heat and bring the fruit to the boil. Stir occasionally and allow to boil hard for about 8 mins, removing any scum with a spoon. If using a thermometer, you're looking to reach 105c. If not, check the setting point of the liquid after 8 mins by removing a saucer from the freezer and adding a teaspoon of the liquid to the plate. Allow to sit for a minute, then push your finger through the liquid. If it starts to wrinkle, the jelly is ready. If not, return to the boil and try again after another minute.
• Pour into sterilised jars and allow to cool completely. Store in a cool, dark place.

CRAB-APPLE JELLY

Steps:

• Wash and quarter apples; place in a 6-quart saucepan. Add 6 cups water; place over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer; cook until very soft, 45 to 60 minutes; remove from heat. Pour into a bowl through a fine mesh strainer lined with two layers of damp cheesecloth. Gather cheesecloth; tie into a bundle. Suspend from a wooden-spoon handle set over bowl; drain, without pressing solids, 1 hour, to yield about 4 cups juice.
• Place juice in a saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes; skim foam. Add sugar; stir to dissolve. Clip on a candy thermometer; cook until the temperature reaches 220 degrees, skimming foam. Pour into jars, let cool, and keep refrigerated for up to 6 months.

ROSEHIP & CRAB APPLE JELLY

Steps:

• Before you start your jelly, put 2 saucers in the freezer. Thoroughly wash the rosehips and apples. The rosehips will take much longer to cook, so put them in a pan with water to generously cover and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 40 mins, topping up with hot water from the kettle when necessary.
• Halve the crab apples (or chop the dessert apples - no need to peel or core) and pare wide strips of peel from the lemon. Add to the pan, with more hot water to cover the fruit. Return to the boil, then simmer for 15 mins until the apples and rosehips are very soft.
• Pour the fruit and liquid into a jelly bag and leave overnight to drip through.
• In the morning, select a few small jars with lids, wash the jars and lids in hot soapy water, rinse well and put the jars upright in a roasting tin. Heat at 180C/160C fan/gas 4 for 10 mins. Measure the juice and pour into a clean pan. For each litre of juice, add 800g sugar (or 80g sugar to each 100g juice). Add the honey and juice from the lemon.
• Bring the mixture slowly to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Boil hard for 5-15 mins until setting point is reached (see below). Don't overboil as apples are high in pectin and the jelly should set quickly. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter to disperse the foam on top. Pour into the prepared jars, seal, label and store in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year.