As apple season begins to wind down, we found ourselves with a small dilemma. We have made our applesauce, apple butter, and apple pie filling – and of course, have had more than enough red and yellow apples to snack on.
Jim on a ladder picking apples with telescoping apple picker (with an extended home-made hoe handle). It may not have been pretty – but it worked great to get all of those apples high in the tree!
However, we were still left with a few extra apples and no idea what to do with them.
Now these aren’t the prettiest of apples – most are freckled with skin spots because they have never been sprayed – which of course for us is all the better! But the minute you cut them apart, you can see that the apple is just as beautiful and crisp as the ones you pick at the apple orchard.
These apples are actually a little more special – you see, Jim and I picked these apples from his childhood home where his father planted them many years ago. His 89-year-old mother watched excitedly as we used an apple picker (with a little homemade extender) to reach as far as we could to pick the best of the apples high up in the trees.
As we discussed what to do with the remainder of the apples, Jim begged me to make apple cinnamon honey jelly. As it turns out, this is the easiest jelly that you could ever make – and judging by the way it has disappeared already – the taste can’t be beat!
Only 3 simple ingredients – no pectin or white sugar needed. Just apples, honey and a few cinnamon sticks – that’s it!
Don’t forget to make a few extra jars for quick and easy holiday gifts.
Apple Cinnamon Honey Jam
They may not be the prettiest of apples from the outside but the insides are picture perfect!
Ingredients:
Leave the skin intact – that is where the natural pectin is found.
Drain the apples for at least 2-3 hours. I drain mine overnight.
6 lbs of apples
3 cups of honey
3 cinnamon sticks
Instructions:
1. Wash apples. Cut into quarters, leaving the skin and core intact. Place apples into a large stockpot and fill with water to cover up about half of the apples.
2. Boil apples until softened. (about 15 minutes)
3. Strain apples in a jelly bag – or a three-fold cheesecloth lined strainer. Strain for 2-3 hours.
4. Measure juice and place in a large stockpot.
5. For every cup of juice, add 1/2 cup of honey.
Apple juice that remains after straining for a couple of hours.
6. Add in the cinnamon sticks and then heat to boiling until mixture becomes thickened.
*NOTE – you may have heard to ‘never’ boil honey. This is true if you want honey to maintain it’s original state of enzymes. Boiling actually thickens honey and changes the enzymes. It is not harmful to boil honey if you are using it in recipes. In fact, it is perfect to use in jelly as the sweetener.
Skim off the white foam as the mixture boils.
7. Complete the ‘jelly test’: place a small portion onto a plate and place it into the freezer for a few minutes. If the mixture gels, it is done. You can also test by measuring the heat with a candy thermometer – it should read 220 degrees F at sea level. Subtract 2 degrees for each 1000 feet above sea level.
The consistency is just right !
8. Remove the cinnamon sticks and place in hot, sterilized half-pint jars to within 1/4 inch of the rim. Add warm lid and ring. Process in hot water bath for 5 minutes.
Store in a cool dark place until ready to use!
Enjoy!
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Mary and Jim
Apple Cinnamon Honey Jelly
Ingredients
- 6 lbs of apples
- 3 cups of honey
- 3 cinnamon sticks
Instructions
- Wash apples. Cut into quarters, leaving the skin and core intact. Place into a large stockpot and fill half of the apples with water. Add cinnamon sticks.
- Boil apples until softened. (about 15 minutes)
- Strain apples in a jelly bag - or a three fold cheesecloth lined strainer. Strain for 2-3 hours.
- Measure juice and place in a large stockpot.
- For every cup of juice, add 1/2 cup of honey.
- Heat to boiling until mixture becomes thickened - remove cinnamon sticks.
- Complete the 'jelly test': place a small portion onto a plate and place it into the freezer for a few minutes. If the mixture gels, it is done. You can also test by measuring the heat with a candy thermometer - it should read 220 degrees F at sea level. Subtract 2 degrees for each 1000 feet above sea level.
- Place in hot, sterilized half-pint jars to within 1/4 inch of the rim. Add warm lid and ring. Process in hot water bath for 5 minutes.
Notes
*NOTE - you may have heard to 'never' boil honey. This is true if you want honey to maintain it's original state of enzymes. Boiling actually thickens honey and changes the enzymes. It is not harmful to boil honey if you are using it in recipes. In fact, it is perfect to use in jelly as the sweetener.
Store in a cool dark place until ready to use!
Recipe courtesy of Old World Garden Farms
Nutrition Information:
Serving Size:
1 gramsAmount Per Serving: Unsaturated Fat: 0g