Crab Apple Jelly Recipes!!

We have been busy at Garside's Fruit Farm this past week, picking our delicious Crab Apples.  These little red apples, make a delicious Jelly.  I have added two recipes to this post for you to make with Garside's Fruit Farm Crab Apples.

I have had several people emailing to ask what variety our Crab Apples are, they are the Dolga Variety.

Our Crab Apples are available NOW for $1.00 per pound.

The recipes below discuss using 4 pounds of Crab Apples, I always use 10 pounds at one time to make a nice sized batch - makes around 2 dozen or just under 250 mL jars.

I have made both recipes and both are delicious, however I do tend to make the recipe without Pectin, as Crab Apples naturally contain enough Pectin on their own to gel nicely.

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Crab Apple Jelly

(Without  Pectin)

1. Use tart, hard-ripe fruit.
2. Wash the fruit and discard the stem and blossom ends.  Place fruit in a kettle with water barely to cover ( 2 cups water to 4 cups fruit).  Bring the water to a boil and simmer the fruit until it is soft.
3. Turn fruit and juice into a wet jelly bag or several layers of cheesecloth lined sieve placed over bowl. Let drip 1 to 4 hours or overnight.
4. Measure the juice and bring it to a rolling boil.
5. Add 3/4 cup sugar to each cup of juice and stir until the sugar is thoroughly dissolved.  Then boil rapidly until the jellying point is reached. 
6. Skim and pour into hot sterilized jelly glasses to within 1/4 inch of the top. Cover with lids and seal.

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Crabapple Jelly

(With  Pectin)

Using 4 lbs Crab Apples:

1. Wash fruit. Remove blossom and stem ends.  Add 6 cups water, simmer covered 10 minutes.  Crush fruit, cook 5 minutes longer.
2. Place in wet jelly bag or cheesecloth lined sieve placed over bowl.  Let drip 1 to 4 hours or overnight. 
3. Measure juice.  If insufficient juice is extracted, up to ½ cup apple juice may be added.
4. In a deep, stainless steel saucepan, combine 5 cups prepared juice.
5. Gradually whisk in 1 pkg. Fruit pectin until dissolved.  Stirring frequently, bring mixture to a boil
6. Add 7 cups sugar.  Over high heat, return to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down.  Boil hard one minute, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat, skim foam.
7. Pour into hot sterilized jelly glasses to within ¼ inch of the top.  Cover with lids and seal.  Makes approximately seven 250 ml. Jars.