Pink Pearl Apple Preserves

Every fall, I wait for these tart little beauties to arrive. The season is short, in a blink & you'll miss it way, and they aren't easy to find but are they ever worth it. They're small & misshapen and usually a dull yellow; some years they show only the faintest blush on the skin. I think they benefited from the wacky weather we had in the Northwest this year because these ladies are already flirting & showing off.

Slice them open and you get this...

They're crisp & tart and perfect for baking. I thought they would make a brilliant jelly this year. (And ok, I've been busy and I still had 10lbs of them sitting around. They're not great for long term storage - another reason you don't really find them in stores.) I usually find apple jelly to be too sweet but as these are fairly tart apples, I think they are perfect for jelly. Also, I had some trouble getting this to set but I really should have made this within a few days of bringing them home rather than letting them sit in the house for 2 weeks.

Pink Pearl Apple Jelly

4 lbs apples, cut and quartered (skins & core intact)
6 1/2 cups water
3 1/2 cups sugar (I might try cutting it to 3c next time)
3 tbls lemon juice

Wash & quarter the apples without peeling or coring them. (We want all that natural pectin!) Put in a large, heavy pot and cover with water. Bring just to a boil, then simmer for approximately 1/2 hr until the apples are soft & pulpy and slipping away from their skins.

Strain the mixture through a boiled jelly bag or layers of cheesecloth. (True confession time - I use cloth diapers. New ones, obviously! Gerber makes a super thin flat fold one that I can't imagine using for its intended purpose but they're great for straining. Just boil one, wring it out well, then line a colander with it & you're good to go.) It may take a few hours to drain completely but don't get impatient and squeeze. You'll end up with cloudy juice. Strain the juice a second time (this only takes a minute but ensures you get that lovely clear jewel-like jelly.)  Refrigerate juice overnight.
(Don't throw away that pulpy mess left in your cheesecloth (or diaper, as the case may be)! We're going to use it to make applesauce later!)

The next day, prepare your pot, jars & lids for canning. (Anyone new to canning, head straight to Food in Jars. Marissa has great instructions & tips, especially for beginners. Also, Pick Your Own and The National Center for Home Food Preservation are great resources.) Place a small plate or two in your freezer in order to test your set later on.
Scoop out 6 cups of your juice into a large, heavy nonreactive pot, taking care not to stir up any sediment that might be at the bottom of your bowl. Add the sugar & lemon, then heat gently to dissolve sugar.
Bring to a boil and bring to jelling point (220F). Usually, I test my set by spooning a small amount of the jelly on the frozen plate, placing it back in the freezer for 1 minute, then push your finger through the jelly & see if it wrinkles. If so, you're ready to can. If not, keep heating it & test again. This time, I relied on the thermometer. It read 225F so I assumed I was good to go. Ended up having to redo it, which was a pain but hey, it happens.
Ladle the hot jelly into sterilized jars, leaving 1/4" headspace and water bath process for 5 minutes. Makes 6 1/2 pint jars.

There's a bit of the pink applesauce there on the right hand corner; instructions next time.