CHRISTMAS JELLY - CINNAMON-APPLE + A SHEET OF LABELS TO PRINT

Talk about nostalgia...as the fragrance of apples and cinnamon filled my kitchen last night I was brought back to another time and place where there were two little boys sitting at my counter in the little mountain hamlet of Pioneer, California. If you make this for a special treat at Christmas, it might someday travel you back to a special time in your life too.

 

TO PRINT: If you have a draw program just copy and paste the sheet into your program. If you do not have a draw program an easy way to print out a sheet of these labels is to "right click" on the image and "save to your desktop", then "right click" on the file on the desktop and you get the option to "open in Picasa" (if you do not have Picasa it is free and an easy download) once in Picasa select the "print" option, then "full page", if it does not fit the page then select the" fit to page" option and it will print out perfectly.  If you are not using a lami-label then print it out on a full 8 1/2 x 11 full sheet label and then cut around the labels as you need them. I know this sounds complicated but it is really easy and once you have done it you will see it is that. Right click, save to desktop, right click, open in Picasa and print. Here is the link for Picasa: Link

 

Please do not be intimidated if you have not made jelly before as this is very easy - four ingredients, unsweetened apple juice, pectin, sugar and some cinnamon red-hots. That's it, only four (five if you add a few drops of red food coloring).

Ingredients

• 1-¾ ounce, weight Powdered Fruit Pectin
• ½ cups Red Hot Candies, if you like a few drops of red food coloring
• 4-½ cups Apple Juice (no Sugar Added)
• 4-½ cups Sugar
• 8 jars Half-pint Canning Jars, Lids And Rings, sterilized, I put them into my dishwasher at the hot temperature, if your machine does not have a hot temperature you can either boil them or clean the jars as normal, rinse but leave the jars a little wet. Microwave for 30 - 45 seconds depending on the size of the jar. If you do this the lids and rings can be sterilized in boiling water on the stove.

 Preparation Instructions

In large saucepan or pot stir in pectin and red hots with apple juice. Bring to a boil stirring constantly until red hots are dissolved. When liquid comes to a rolling boil that can’t be stirred down, boil for one minute.

Stir in sugar and keep stirring until mixture comes to a rapid boil. When liquid comes to a rapid boil that can’t be stirred down, boil another four minutes. Remove from heat and skim off any foam.

 
Pour into hot jars leaving 1/4″ head-space.The jars have a fill line you will see it just below the top, do not fill over that line. Please be careful the jelly is HOT! I pour from the pan into a big plastic measuring cup with a spout so I can pour directly into the jars.

 

Take a damp towel and wipe any jelly from rim of jar so caps won't stick. Adjust caps. Turn jars over on toweling and time 5 minutes. Turn jars upright and leave until cool and jelled. If you are new to making jelly you will hear pop, pop as the jelly cools and the lids seal - you want to hear that pop, you wait to hear that pop because if the lids do not seal you will have to put the jelly into the refrigerator and use as you would any item that had been opened. 

COOKS NOTES: This does not make stiff jelly but it is great on toast, English muffins, waffles, etc. I refrigerate the jar before use. If you prefer that it be a stiffer jelly increase the boil time after you add the sugar. The softer jelly is good on pancakes, etc.  My personal favorite is on whole wheat toast!

Resource

You can find all the items that you need to make this jelly at Walmart or any other full-service grocery store.  The pectin will be where the canning jars are located.

Santa Picture, Nancy Thomas

Red Platter by Holiday Home
Label created in Corel Draw
Label graphic from the Graphic's Fairy 
Label font, chalk-hand-lettering-shaded_dem
Red & White grocers twine, craft store 
Recipe source, I  have used this recipe for years but you can find many variations of this recipe online.
The label is a lami-label

Thank you for stopping by.