From holajalapeno.com
Apple Jalapeño Jelly + Cheddar Pie Crust Crackers
Ingredients
For the jelly
- 5 pounds fully ripe tart apples (green varieties like Granny Smith work best, quartered)
- 4 cups water
- 5 cups apple juice (from the juice you made)
- 9 jalapeños (minced, seeds removed if you want it less spicy)
- 4 fresh cayenne or thai bird chiles (thinly sliced, seeds removed if you want it less spicy)
- 7 cups granulated sugar
- 1 3-ounce pouch liquid pectin
For the crackers
- 1 recipe or scraps from Cheddar Cheese Pie Crust
- 1 egg beaten with 1 teaspoon water
- 1/4 cup sesame seeds
Steps
- Make 5 cups apple juice. Combine quartered 5 pounds and 4 cups in an 8-quart stock pot. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat then reduce the heat, cover and simmer, stir occasionally, until soft, about 20-30 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and let sit 30 minutes.
20-30 min
- Mash apples into a pulp. Mash mixture with a potato masher.
- Strain out 5 cups juice. Place a fine mesh sieve over a large pan or bowl. Ladle the cooked apples in to the sieve and strain the juice from the pulp. Resist the urge to mash mixture down, just let it drain naturally. Discard the pulp. Rinse the sieve thoroughly and line it with 3 to 4 layers of clean, damp cheesecloth.
- Strain 2 more times. Strain the 5 cups juice through the cheesecloth 2 times, rinsing the cheesecloth between each straining. Measure 5 cups of juice.
- Freeze a small plate. Stick a small plate in the refrigerator to chill. You will use this to check and see if the jelly has set.
- Prep the jars and canner. Wash 9 to 10 half-pint jars, lids, and rings in hot soapy 4 cups water; rinse. Fill a large stock pot (preferably a canning pot) with water. Attach a candy thermometer to the side and set over medium-high heat. Place clean jars, rings and lids in the water to heat. Watch the thermometer and heat the water to 200°F. Once it reaches the correct temperature, make sure to raise or lower the heat to keep it there. Leave jars, lids, and rings in the hot water until you are ready to fill them.
- Combine juice, chiles, and 7 cups sugar. Heat 5 cups of apple juice in a separate 8-quart stock pot over medium heat until just warm. Clip a second candy thermometer to the side of the pot. Add 9 jalapeños, 4 cayenne chiles, and 7 cups sugar and heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar is completely dissolved. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
- Add pectin. Stir the entire contents of 1 pectin pouch. Return the mixture to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Boil, stirring constantly, for 1 minute, then continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the thermometer reads 220°F, about 10-15 minutes more. Remove pot from the heat.
10-15 min
- Test jelly. Quickly skim off any foam and begin testing to see if the jelly has set. Spoon a bit of jelly on the chilled plate and stick in the freezer for a few minutes. If it wobbles and wrinkles when you nudge it with the back of a spoon, you are ready to can. If it looks runny, keep boiling and checking until it sets.
- Fill jars. Remove jars from the hot 4 cups water and place on a towel on a counter. Shake out any excess water, but you don't need to dry them. Leave the lids and rings in the water for now. Ladle ½ cups of the hot jelly into hot jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace (A canning funnel works really good for this). Wipe the jar rims and threads with a clean, damp paper towel. Cover with hot lids and apply screw rings. Process half-pint jars in a 200°F water bath for 15 minutes, pint jars for 20 minutes.
15-20 min
- Remove the jars from the 4 cups water and set aside to cool. Once cool, check to see that the lids have sealed by pressing down on the middle of the lid, it should not pop back under your finger. If it hasn't sealed properly you can store the jar in the refrigerator for up to 3 months. The sealed jars will keep, unopened at room temperature for 1 year.
- Heat oven to 400°F.
- Roll out 1 pie crust to 1/4-inch thick and cut into strips or shapes. Lay crackers in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush with 1 egg wash and sprinkle with ¼ cup sesame seeds.
- Bake until crisp and golden, about 10-15 minutes.
10-15 min
Nutrition
Per serving
- kcal
- 119
- protein
- 1 g
- carbs
- 28 g
- fat
- 1 g