I've teamed up with our foods teacher at school to do a canning lesson and demonstration on Monday. We wanted to do something yummy with apples since they were in season and decided on apple pie jam. Since I need to do it four times, we'll do the apple pie jam once and grape jelly and pickles in the other periods. I'll most likely do the grape jelly twice.I made a sample batch of the apple pie jam last night in order to make sure it would work...It did and it didn't. I don't believe I got the apple bits small enough since I don't have a food chopper, but we'll do better on Monday. The jam is still a bit soupy. I'm going to say that it 'semi-set up.' You can see the apple bits are floating, so I'm rotating the jars so as it sets up the bits will hopefully wind up suspended. It can take a week or more for jam to set up perfectly, so before I dump it all out to a pot and reprocess it, I'm going to let it sit for 3-4 weeks to make sure.
This has happened to me once before with a jam and it eventually jelled just fine. If it doesn't, I have some fantastic syrup to top pancakes or ice cream with. You can't go wrong.
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You might try grating the apples. It is what I do when I make apple cake since my husband hates the apple bits, but still likes the apple taste.
ReplyDeleteMy raspberry jam didn't set well this year. It is sort of half gelled. This is the first time that has happened to me. I just wasn't being careful and checking the gel. But like you I'm just saying I have some really yummy raspberry syrup for pancakes. Apple syrup would be mighty tasty on pancakes too.
either way, that looks fantastic!
ReplyDeleteI never thought of grating the apples. I wonder if the thin fiddly bits would disintegrate in the cooking process.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Erin. I can't wait to bust into a jar.
I never thought of grating the apples. I wonder if the thin fiddly bits would disintegrate in the cooking process.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Erin. I can't wait to bust into a jar.
Ribbit - I have a fear of making jam. I fear I'll do it wrong, can it wrong, something it wrong and end up with some sort of poisonous bacteria filled goo. But yet, I yearn for the jam... one day I'll get the chutzpah and make some jam. I'll buy other people's but I get all squiggy and nervous at the thought of making my own. Maybe I need to enroll in your school and hit up your jam class.
ReplyDeleteI made a batch of apple pie jam a month or two ago... it came out amazing! If you'd like I can go dig up the recipe I used.
ReplyDeleteLooks really tasty! I coincidentally posted about my cider jelly making tonight. How much pectin & sugar did you add? Apples should gel well, they are what pectin is made from. Here is a recipes I found on kraft foods, They have good recipes for all kinds of jams and they always work well:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.kraftfoods.com/kf/recipes/certo-dutch-apple-56107.aspx
Kate, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. I'm about 50/50 in jam, but it still makes a fantastic syrup and if you don't tell anyone it was supposed to be jam, they don't know the difference.
ReplyDeleteBesides, the bell for the next class will ring before they will know if it jelled or not. ;)
Thanks, JJ! I'd be interested to see how similar they are.
ReplyDeleteDan, it was four three cups of white and one packed cup of brown sugar and a box of pectin. I'll jeck out the recipe. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteKate, you can always make the jelly and put it in jars, seal it and just stick it in your freezer (as opposed to putting it in a hot water bath to seal them). Or seal them and then stick them in your freezer. It doesn't hurt the jam and you won't have to worry about creepy bacteria.
ReplyDeleteRibbit, It was out of The Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving. I'll go post it to my blog right now...
Okay Ribbit, Recipe is posted HERE
ReplyDeleteOh my, I'd be hoping it didn't set so I could spoon it over vanilla ice cream. I'd even be tempted to make some pie crust "bowls" to hold the lusciousness!
ReplyDeleteMy verification word is "pathec". That's awfully close to "pathetic"...I am, aren't I ;-)
Granny! Granny! WOOHOOOO!!! It's granny!!!! Hope you're doing okay.
ReplyDeleteThanks, JJ. I'm on my way to to your blog.
Ribbit - Since I have a case of apples that my son was selling for school, that recipe is rather tempting.....However, my plans are to make apple butter with them. I think we need to do a trade. A jar of my blackberry jam for a jar of your apple pie jam.
ReplyDeleteI'm game, EG. I still have your address and will send you a jar. Keep in mind, it still needs to sit a while to set and you may just get soupy jam to use as a topping even in the long run.
ReplyDeleteFear of jam is so widespread. It helps if you can find a jam maker to help or observe.
ReplyDeleteI figure I'll reprocess by the jar a I open the too runny ones. Open, boil, set in the refrigerator. Sounds good to me; maybe it will work.
Have fun with the kids!