{SavourTheSeason} Day 20: Apple Pie Jam

Apple Pie Jam instantly turns a humble slice of bread into an decadent treat.  I make a batch or two of it every year to give as gifts and to spoil my family a little bit.  This recipe makes enough jam to fill seven 250ml canning jars, but I just do six and serve the rest to my family warm, straight from the pot with a couple loaves of fresh homemade bread!

You will need:
4 cups of apples, peeled and diced
1 1/2 Tbsp of lemon juice
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ginger
4 cups white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 box of dry pectin
1 tsp butter
6 or 7 250ml canning jars and 6 or 7 two-piece snap lids

You will also need a hot water canner with rack.  If you don't have one and don't plan to do a lot of canning, you can probably just borrow one from a friend or neighbour.

Start by sanitizing your jars and lids.

• The jars can be sanitized by a cycle in your dishwasher on it's highest heat setting.  Do this right before you make the sauce and leave the jars in on a warm dry setting so that they are still warm when you go to fill them.  Or you can just boil the jars to sterilize them.  Keep them warm until you are ready to use them.

• To sanitize the lids, bring a pot of water to a good rolling boil.  Turn the pot off and add the lids.  We don't want to actually boil the lids because it will affect the gummy seal.

 Now make your jam:

In a large measuring bowl, measure 4 cups of peeled and diced apples.  Add enough water to fill all of the crevices and come up to the 4 cup line.

Put apples and water in a pot.  Add pectin, lemon juice, spices and butter.

Bring to a boil and then add both sugars.  It's a lot of sugar. I didn't say this was health food!

 

Bring back to a rolling boil and let it boil for one minute, stirring frequently.

Remove from heat and skim off any foam that is on the top.  Ta-da!  You have jam.  Now all you have to do is can it!


Canning your yummy Apple Pie Jam:

Put water in your hot water canner and start it coming to a boil.

Pour jam into warm sterilized jars, leaving about a 1/4 inch of head space.

 Screw on your sterile lids.

Place jars of jam in the hot water bath canner.   Make sure the water comes at least 2 inches above the top of the jars.  When the water has returned to a full boil, put the lid on the canner and let it boil for 10 minutes.  (If you live more than 1000 feet above sea level you will  need to boil it longer than that to account for the lower boiling temperature of water.)

When time is up, carefully remove jars from hot water and cool upright on a towel. 

 Once cool, you can check the seals on your jars by pushing on the top of the lids.  If the lids move or make a "popping" sound they are not sealed correctly and that jar of jam should go in your fridge and get used up soon (I know, soooo tragic) but most likely all of your jars will have sealed perfectly and the lids will be tight and a little concave.

Best way to eat it:  Definitely on lightly toasted and buttered homemade bread.

[This is day 20 in a 31 day series about celebrating autumn. Click here for more fall ideas!]