Apple Cookbook (23 page)

4
. Return the applesauce to a kettle and bring to a boil. Cook for at least 10 minutes, or until the sauce reaches the desired consistency. Season to taste with sugar and cinnamon, if desired.

5
. Ladle the hot applesauce into clean, hot jars, leaving ½ inch of headroom. Wipe the rims with a clean, damp cloth, and screw on the lids.

6
. Process the jars according to the Boiling-Water-Bath Canning instructions on the opposite page (15 minutes for pints and 20 for quarts up to 1,000 feet; 20 and 25 minutes at 1,001–3,000 feet; 20 and 30 minutes at 3,001–6,000 feet; and 25 and 35 minutes above 6,000 feet).

7
. Remove the jars. Adjust the screw bands to tighten the seals.

8
. Leave the jars undisturbed for 12 hours to cool. Test the seals. Store in a cool, dry place.

Even if you select only firm, fresh, and flavorful apples for freezing, you will find that they will soften and lose flavor during frozen storage. For that reason, it is important to choose only perfect apples and to refer to the table on page 175 to see which varieties are recommended for freezing. When cooked applesauce is to be frozen, choose those apples listed on the chart under the heading Sauce. Cooking protects the texture and flavor — as long as the sauce is used within a reasonable time.

Try to speed up the freezing process by placing the containers of just-packed fruit next to a freezing surface on the freezer floor or a shelf and leaving space around each one. When the containers of fruit are completely frozen, repack your freezer to its fullest advantage.

1
. Peel, core, and cut 3 pounds (9 medium) apples into ¼-inch slices.

2
. Drop into 1 gallon water mixed with 2 tablespoons lemon juice.

3
. Bring a pot of water to a boil and drop in the apple slices, a pound at a time. Blanch for 1 minute only. Drain immediately.

4
. Place in single layers on baking sheets and freeze.

5
. When frozen, place in plastic freezer bags, seal, and freeze.

Yield: 3 quarts

1
. Peel and core or wash and core the apples.

2
. Drop into a pot of boiling water and blanch for 1 minute.

3
. Drain and stuff with a mixture of nuts and raisins bound together with honey.

4
. Wrap individually in plastic wrap or wax paper. Place in freezer bags and put into the freezer.

5
. To prepare the apples for the table, remove from the freezer and place in a buttered dish, dot with butter, cover, and bake in a preheated 400°F oven for 30 minutes, or until they can be pierced easily with a fork.

If you intend to freeze baked pies, make sure they are completely cold before enclosing them in freezer bags. Any heat left in the pie results in condensation in the freezer bag, which causes the pie to become moist and the crust soggy.

Bake frozen in a preheated 375°F oven for approximately 30 minutes. Cover the top with aluminum foil if the crust gets too brown.

Unbaked pies can be assembled as usual, but don’t put steam vents in the top crust until you are ready to bake. Bake frozen in a preheated 425°F oven for 30 minutes. Reduce oven to 375°F and bake for 30–40 minutes longer. Cover the crust with aluminum foil if it gets too brown before the pie has finished baking.

Making preserves is simple, economical, and wonderfully satisfying. I get infinite pleasure from surveying jars of golden apple butters, chunky marmalades, and chutneys. And the clear, vivid green of mint apple jelly is a cause for admiration.

These homemade treasures taste equally good on toast or when accompanying a savory dish.

Of all fruits, tart cooking apples are in a class of their own for jam-making because their high pectin content acts as a natural setting agent.

Just for safety, the U.S.D.A. recommends that all jellies, jams, marmalades, butters, chutneys, and relishes be packed into hot, sterilized jars, leaving ¼ inch of headroom, then sealed according to the jar manufacturer’s instructions, and processed for 5 minutes in a boiling-water bath up to 1,000 feet altitude (10 minutes at 1,001–6,000 feet and 15 minutes above 6,000 feet).

1
. Choose a pan that can be fitted with a false bottom (such as a plate) to prevent the jars from touching the bottom of the pan and cracking, and one that is deep enough to allow the water to cover the jars.

2
. Wash the jars and lids in warm water containing a little dishwashing liquid. Rinse thoroughly.

3
. Place the jars upright in the water bath and fill with hot (not boiling) water. Continue to fill the water bath until the jars are completely covered. Bring to a boil and boil gently for 15 minutes. (Some dishwashers have a sterilizing cycle you can use to sterilize jars.)

4
. Scald or boil the lids according to the manufacturer’s instructions only.

5
. As the jars are needed for filling, remove from the boiling water (or dishwasher) one at a time.

To make this in quantity, quadruple the recipe and cook for several hours
.

8–9 medium apples (Paula Red, Golden Delicious, Empire, Ida Red, McIntosh, Gala)

1 teaspoon water

1 orange

1 pound (2¼ cups) brown sugar

1
. Core and quarter the apples. Place in a large pan, add the water, cover, and simmer on low for 30 minutes, or until soft. Stir the apples halfway through the cooking time.

2
. Grate the zest of the orange and reserve in a bowl. Cut the orange in half and squeeze the juice into the zest. You should have ½–¾ cup juice.

3
. Press the cooked apples through a sieve. Discard the skins, return the pulp to the pan, and stir in the sugar, grated zest, and orange juice.

4
. Simmer over very low heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture is thick — about 1½ hours. (Or pour the mixture into a roasting pan and bake uncovered at 350°F for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Reduce the oven to 250°F and bake 2–3 hours longer, or until thick.)

5
. Sterilize two pint jars. Remove the mixture from the heat and ladle into the hot, sterilized pint jars; leave ¼ inch of headroom. Run a rubber spatula around the inside of the jar to release air bubbles. Wipe the rim of the jar with a clean cloth. Cap each jar as the manufacturer directs. Process for 5 minutes in a boiling-water bath (page 158). Adjust for altitude if needed.

Yield: 2 pints

Breakfast at my mother’s Scotland home would not be complete without a dish of this jam to accompany the toast. The blackberries grow in wild abundance behind her house; in August, she gathers them by the pound
.

3 medium tart green apples (Granny Smith, Rhode Island Greening, Twenty Ounce, Winesap)

1 cup water

6 cups blackberries

8 cups (4 pounds) granulated sugar

1
. Peel, core, and slice the apples. Reserve the peels. Place the slices in a large kettle with ½ cup of the water. Cover and simmer for 15–20 minutes, or until the apples are soft.

2
. Place the blackberries in a medium-sized pan and add the apple peels tied in cheesecloth and the remaining ½ cup water. Simmer for 15–20 minutes, or until the fruit is soft.

3
. Discard the apple peels. Add the blackberries and liquid to the apples. (Or force the cooked blackberries through a sieve to remove the seeds; add the fruit pulp to the apples.)

4
. Stir in the sugar and dissolve over very low heat.

5
. Stir the fruit and bring to a rolling boil for 10 minutes, or until the jam sets when dropped onto a chilled saucer.

6
. When a set has been reached, remove the mixture from the heat and ladle into four hot sterilized pint jars; leave ¼ inch of headroom. Run a rubber spatula around the inside of the jar to release air bubbles. Wipe the rim of the jar with a clean cloth. Cap each jar as the manufacturer directs. Process for 5 minutes in a boiling-water bath (page 158). Adjust for altitude if needed.

Yield: About 4 pints

I don’t remember ever not eating marmalade — it was always served at breakfast
.

2 medium oranges (1 pound)

2 medium lemons (½ pound)

1 grapefruit (½ pound)

6 medium tart apples (2 pounds) (Twenty Ounce, Rhode Island Greening, Granny Smith, Winesap)

12 cups water

5 pounds extra fine sugar

1
. Scrub the oranges, lemons, and grapefruit. Thinly peel the zest with a potato peeler or paring knife, making sure to avoid the inner white pith. Chop or shred the zest. Place in a large kettle.

2
. Squeeze the juice and seeds into a bowl. Cut out the inner membranes; chop coarsely. Tie the fruit and seeds in a doubled piece of cheesecloth. Add the juice to the pan with the zest.

3
. Wash, peel, and core the apples. Add the apple peels to the cheesecloth and tie. Add to the kettle. Chop the apples and add to the kettle with the water.

4
. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for about 1½ hours, or until the peels are tender and the liquid reduced by half.

5
. Lift the cheesecloth bag, squeeze the juice into the kettle, and discard. Add the sugar and stir until completely dissolved.

6
. Bring to a boil; boil rapidly until a candy thermometer registers 220°F (about 15–20 minutes), or until the marmalade sets when dropped onto a chilled saucer. Skim off the foam.

7
. When a set has been reached, remove the mixture from the heat and ladle into eight hot sterilized pint jars; leave ¼ inch of headroom. Run a rubber spatula round the inside of the jar to release air bubbles. Wipe the rim of the jar with a clean cloth. Cap each jar according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Process for 5 minutes in a boiling-water bath (page 158). Adjust for altitude if needed.

Yield: Approximately 8 pints

For cinnamon apple jelly, omit the mint leaves and add 2 cinnamon sticks. A few crab apples in the kettle provide extra pectin for a good jelly set
.

10 medium tart apples (Granny Smith, Jonathan or Jonagold)

3 cups water

2 cups fresh mint leaves

3 tablespoons lemon juice

2
³
/
₄
–3 cups sugar

green food coloring (optional)

1
. Quarter the apples and place in a large kettle with the water and mint. Simmer for 30 minutes or until the apples are soft.

2
. Pour the fruit and liquid into a sieve or colander lined with four layers of cheesecloth, or into a dampened jelly bag, and strain. Allow to drip for 2–3 hours. For a clear jelly, do not press the fruit.