Best Quebecs Spiced Crabapple Jelly Recipes

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.

SURE.JELL APPLE OR CRAB APPLE JELLY

Steps:

• Bring boiling-water canner, half full with water, to simmer. Wash jars and screw bands in hot soapy water; rinse with warm water. Pour boiling water over flat lids in saucepan off the heat. Let stand in hot water until ready to use. Drain well before filling.
• Remove stems and blossom ends from unpeeled apples. Core apples; cut into small pieces. Place in large saucepan; add water. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 10 min., stirring occasionally. Crush cooked apples; cover and simmer 5 min. Place three layers of damp cheesecloth or a jelly bag in large bowl. Pour prepared fruit into cheesecloth. Tie cheesecloth closed; hang and let drip into bowl until dripping stops. Press gently. Measure exactly 7 cups prepared juice into 6- or 8-qt. saucepot. (If needed, add up to 1/2 cup water for exact measure.)
• Stir pectin into juice in saucepot. Add butter to reduce foaming. Bring mixture to full rolling boil (a boil that doesn't stop bubbling when stirred) on high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in sugar. Return to full rolling boil and boil exactly 1 min., stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim off any foam with metal spoon.
• Ladle immediately into prepared jars, filling to within 1/4 inch of tops. Wipe jar rims and threads. Cover with two-piece lids. Screw bands tightly. Place jars on elevated rack in canner. Lower rack into canner. (Water must cover jars by 1 to 2 inches. Add boiling water, if necessary.) Cover; bring water to gentle boil. Process 5 min. Remove jars and place upright on a towel to cool completely. After jars cool, check seals by pressing middles of lids with finger. (If lids spring back, lids are not sealed and refrigeration is necessary.)

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.

QUEBEC'S SPICED CRABAPPLE JELLY

Steps:

• 1. Wash and remove blossom ends and stems from crabapples.
• 2. Combine in a large pan with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes or until mushy.
• 3. Strain through jelly bag overnight.
• 4. Add strained crabapple juice into a saucepan and add the vinegar .
• 5. Tie in cheesecloth; add cinnamon stick and cloves. Add the spices in cheesecloth to the pot of juice and bring to a boil, uncovered for 3 minutes and remove the spice bag.
• 6. Slowly stir in the sugar. Bring to a boil, uncovered for 25 minutes, or until a spoonful when chilled quickly has the desired consistency. Stir frequently.
• 7. Ladle into sterilized jars. Seal while hot with a thin layer of paraffin.

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.

SPICED CRABAPPLES

Steps:

• Combine sugar, water and vinegar in a large stainless or enamel saucpan.
• Break up cinnamon and tie up with allspice and cloves in a large square of cheesecloth and add to pan.
• Bring to a boil and boil for 10 minutes.
• Add prepared crabapples and return pan to a boil, reduce heat and boil GENTLY for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Remove spice bag.
• Pack into clean hot jars to 3/4 inch from rim and add boiling syrup to cover, leaving 1/2 inch head space.
• Do the jar thing.
• Process in a boiling water bath for 20 minutes at altitudes up to 1000 feet.

QUEBECOIS MAPLE CREAM PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Place the pie crust in its plate in a large, shallow baking pan lined with foil in case of a boil-over.
• Bring maple syrup to a boil in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, to reduce syrup down by about one-quarter. Stir in cream, bring the mixture to a simmer, then remove from heat.
• Whisk egg yolks and egg together in a large bowl. Very gradually add the cream mixture to the eggs, about 1/4 cup at a time, whisking constantly. Stir in salt, vanilla extract, and vinegar. Pour the batter into the prepared pie crust.
• Bake until the pie is mostly set but jiggles slightly when moved, about 1 hour. Let cool before serving.