Autumn Cider Jelly
makes 5 half-pints
Recipe from Root Source Challenge
Processing the jelly for five minutes in a boiling water canner is necessary if you plan to shelve it or make it ahead for the holidays. If you’re planning to eat it quickly, just keep it in the refrigerator.
This recipe was featured in Root Source: Apple Cider. It comes from Culinaria Eugenius.
ingredients
1 quart (4 cups) fresh apple cider (UV-treated tastes better than pasteurized, if you buy it from a store)
1 cinnamon stick
1 big pinch whole allspice
1 pinch whole cloves
1 pinch cocoa nibs
1 dried chili pepper
4 teaspoons calcium water from Pomona's Pectin box
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
4 teaspoons Pomona's Pectin
1 cup sugar
Note: I specify Pomona's Pectin because it's the only one that contains the particular pectin and calcium powders. Substituting standard pectin like Ball or Sure-Jell requires much more sugar to be safe and effective.
timer
prep: 15 minutes
total: 35 minutes
tools
jar or bowl (with lid)
cheesecloth
strainer
medium pot
small bowl
boiling water canner (optional)
instructions
1. If you’re planning to spice your cider, start the day before canning: Measure out your cider and place in a jar or bowl with a lid. Add cinnamon stick. Place the other spices in a little cheesecloth square that can be tied shut with string, then add to the cider. Refrigerate cider with spices overnight.
2. Before beginning your jelly, wash your jars and sterilize them by boiling them in your canner for 5 minutes. Wash your new lids and your rings. Keep the lids and rings in water at a simmer (180F) in a small pot on the stove (don't boil them).
3. Filter out the spices from your cider and pour into a medium-sized pot.
4. Add calcium water and lemon juice to cider in the medium pot. Bring cider up to a boil as quickly as possible.
5. As cider is heating, mix together the pectin and the sugar in a small bowl. Skim foam that rises to the surface of the cider.
6. When the cider comes to a boil, add in the sugar/pectin mix, stirring constantly for 1 minute, to melt the pectin. (If you don’t stir constantly, it will lump.)
7. Remove from heat, fill hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch of headspace. Wipe rims, cover with lids and rings, and process for 5 minutes in a boiling water canner if using.
Comments
Says: October 29, 2008 at 08:22 PM
Hi! This is my recipe, and I wanted to add a note, since my original recipe was edited and I'm worried about a food safety issue. There are many pectin preparations for different kinds of jelly (low sugar, freezer, etc.), and it's pretty crucial that you know which one to use for this recipe. This recipe uses Pomona's Pectine, an all-natural pectin that comes in a box with pectin and calcium powders. You can buy these items in bulk, but I can't guarantee the amounts of pectin/calcium for the calcium water preparation will yield the same jell. You can buy Pomona's in health-food stores and high-end grocery stores. Don't use regular pectin for this recipe, as it requires more sugar to make a safe jelly.