APPLE & MINT JELLY
Brenda Litzke
I made apple juice yesterday and used the leftover pulp to make this beautiful batch of apple mint jelly.
I boiled the pulp with the water, vinegar and mint, and then let it drain overnight.
After measuring the liquid, I added the sugar and stirred over low heat till sugar dissolved, then boiled rapidly until setting point reached (wrinkled on saucer).
Plenty pectin in the apple pulp for an absolutely perfect set.
PS I added a drop of green food colouring for prettiness
Ingredients
4 lbs of tart apples, unpeeled, chopped into big pieces, including the cores
1 ½ cups of fresh spearmint leaves, chopped, lightly packed (or use dried mint if you don't have - 3 or 4 tbs according to taste)
2 cups water
2 cups white vinegar
3 ½ cups sugar (7/8 cups for each cup of juice)
Combine apple pieces with water and mint in a large pan. Bring water to a boil then reduce heat and cook 20 minutes, until apples are soft. Add vinegar, return to boil. Simmer covered, 5 more minutes.
Use a potato masher to mash up the apple pieces to the consistency of thin apple sauce. Spoon the apple pulp into a muslin cloth (or a couple layers of cheesecloth) or a large, fine mesh sieve, suspended over a large bowl. Leave to strain for several hours. Do not squeeze. Note that if your mash is too thick, you can add 1/2 a cup to a cup more of water to it. You should have 4 to 5 cups of resulting juice.
Measure the juice, then pour into a large pot. Add the sugar. Heat gently, stirring to make sure the sugar gets dissolved and doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan and burn.
Bring to a boil. Cook for 10-15 minutes, using a metal spoon to skim off the surface scum. Time needed for cooking can be anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour or longer, depending on the amount of water, sugar, and apple pectin in the mix.
To test for readiness, put a half teaspoonful of the jelly on a chilled plate. Allow the jelly to cool a few seconds, then push it with your fingertip. If it wrinkles up, it's ready.
Pour into sterilized jars to within 1/4 from the top and seal.
Brenda Litzke
I made apple juice yesterday and used the leftover pulp to make this beautiful batch of apple mint jelly.
I boiled the pulp with the water, vinegar and mint, and then let it drain overnight.
After measuring the liquid, I added the sugar and stirred over low heat till sugar dissolved, then boiled rapidly until setting point reached (wrinkled on saucer).
Plenty pectin in the apple pulp for an absolutely perfect set.
PS I added a drop of green food colouring for prettiness
Ingredients
4 lbs of tart apples, unpeeled, chopped into big pieces, including the cores
1 ½ cups of fresh spearmint leaves, chopped, lightly packed (or use dried mint if you don't have - 3 or 4 tbs according to taste)
2 cups water
2 cups white vinegar
3 ½ cups sugar (7/8 cups for each cup of juice)
Combine apple pieces with water and mint in a large pan. Bring water to a boil then reduce heat and cook 20 minutes, until apples are soft. Add vinegar, return to boil. Simmer covered, 5 more minutes.
Use a potato masher to mash up the apple pieces to the consistency of thin apple sauce. Spoon the apple pulp into a muslin cloth (or a couple layers of cheesecloth) or a large, fine mesh sieve, suspended over a large bowl. Leave to strain for several hours. Do not squeeze. Note that if your mash is too thick, you can add 1/2 a cup to a cup more of water to it. You should have 4 to 5 cups of resulting juice.
Measure the juice, then pour into a large pot. Add the sugar. Heat gently, stirring to make sure the sugar gets dissolved and doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan and burn.
Bring to a boil. Cook for 10-15 minutes, using a metal spoon to skim off the surface scum. Time needed for cooking can be anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour or longer, depending on the amount of water, sugar, and apple pectin in the mix.
To test for readiness, put a half teaspoonful of the jelly on a chilled plate. Allow the jelly to cool a few seconds, then push it with your fingertip. If it wrinkles up, it's ready.
Pour into sterilized jars to within 1/4 from the top and seal.