Winter Spice Jelly Food

WINTER SPICE JELLY

Steps:

• Wash and cut up the apples into small chunks, leaving the peel and cores in. Tip the apple into a large pan with the spices, orange peel and bay leaves, reserving 2 star anise, 4 cloves and 2 bay leaves for the jars. Cover with 600ml water. Bring to the boil, then turn down the heat and simmer with a lid on for 1 1⁄2 hrs.
• Pour the apple mixture into a jelly bag or a sieve lined with muslin or a J-cloth, suspended over a large bowl. Leave to drip for 2 hrs (until it stops dripping) or overnight. Do not be tempted to push the liquid though the sieve or your jelly will become cloudy.
• Measure the juice - you should have about 600ml. Pour the liquid into a large pan along with the jam sugar and vinegar.
• Set over a low heat to dissolve the sugar, stirring constantly. Once dissolved, turn up the heat and bring to the boil. Boil rapidly for 15 mins, or until setting point is reached, skimming away any scum that rises to the surface.
• Pour jelly into hot sterilised jars and place a star anise, bay leaf and 2 cloves into each jar. Chill for 3-4 hrs or overnight until set.

GINGERBREAD SPICE JELLY

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, bring water to a boil. Remove from heat; add tea bags. Cover and steep 30 minutes., Discard tea bags. Stir in the sugar, apple juice and butter. Bring to a full rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in pectin. Continue to boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. , Remove from heat; skim off foam. Ladle hot mixture into 5 hot half-pint jars, leaving 1/4-in. headspace. Wipe rims. Center lids on jars; screw on bands until fingertip tight. , Place jars into canner with simmering water, ensuring that they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil; process for 10 minutes. Remove jars and cool. (Jelly may take up to 2 weeks to set.)

WINTER APPLE JELLY

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, combine the apple juice, pectin, lemon juice and food coloring if desired. Bring to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Quickly stir in sugar; return to a full rolling boil. Boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. , Remove from the heat; skim off foam. Stir in cinnamon. Carefully ladle hot mixture into hot sterilized jars, leaving 1/4-in. headspace. Remove air bubbles; wipe rims and adjust lids. Process for 5 minutes in a boiling-water canner.

YUMMY SPICED PLUM JELLY

Steps:

• Wash plums and put in large pot. (I used red plums).
• Add 1/2 cup of water per pound of plums, cinnamon sticks, star anise, and cardamom pods that have been cracked open.
• Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring frequently.
• Once boiling reduce heat to a simmer and mash plums with a potato masher. Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring and smooshing plums occasionally.
• Put a colander or sieve over a large bowl. Line the colander with a triple layer of cheese cloth or with a J cloth (I use two J cloths crisscrossed to cover all the holes in the colander).
• Pour the plum mixture into the lines colander and let drain for about 2 hours until it stops dripping. Don't squish or else you will get cloudy jelly.
• Measure out 4 cups of plum juice, sugar, and vanilla into a large stainless steel pot. DO NOT double the recipe because it can affect setting of the jelly.
• Stirring constantly, over high heat, bring the mixture to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down.
• Add the pectin and return to a boil then boil for one full minute while stirring constantly.
• Remove from heat and skim off foam. (I find it easiest to skim foam using a cold metal spoon).
• Use a ladle to pour jelly in to hot clean jars. (Jars must be hot so the temperature of the jelly isn't a shock to the jars causing them to break). Be sure to leave 1/4 inch of space.
• Wipe the rims of the jars, place metal snap lids on top and thread metal rings in place. Do not over tighten the metal rings or air won't be able to escape.
• Place jars in water bath canner making sure they're completely covered with water. Bring to a boil and process for 10 minutes.

SPICED CURRANT JELLY

Steps:

• Wash currants; stem and add sugar and spices.
• Heat until sugar melts; boil, uncovered for 20 minutes or until thick enough to form jelly on a cold plate.
• Pour into sterilized jelly glasses and seal.

CIDER N' SPICE JELLY

Steps:

• In pot combine cider, cinnamon, allspice and cloves. Cover and bring to a boil, reduce heat to med- low. Simmer covered for 20 minutes.
• Line a sieve with double layer of 100% cotton cheese cloth and set over large bowl. Strain cider mixture through sieve. If desired, reserve spices to add to canning jars later.
• Wash pot, then return strained cider to pot. Add sugar, stir to combine. Bring to a rolling boil, stirring constantly.
• Remove from heat and add pectin.
• Return to the heat and bring to a rolling boil for 1 minute, while stirring.
• Ladle into hot sterilized 8 oz jars, leaving 1/4" headspace. If desired you can now add spices back into jars. Wipe rims and add lids.
• Process jars for your recommend altitude.
• If you have never made a jelly before, the straining of the liquid is to remove any particles/cloudiness from the jelly. So that your jelly will be nice and clear once set.

WINTER APPLE JELLY

Steps:

• In a dutch oven, combine the apple juice, pectin, lemon juice and food coloring (if desired). Bring to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Quickly stir in sugar; return to a full rolling boil. Boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
• Remove from the hear; skim off foam. Stir in cinnamon. Carefully ladle hot mixture into hot sterilized jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles; wipe rims and adjust lids. Process for 5 minutes in a boiling-water canner.