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Recipes for Waterbath Canning
Apple Pie and Crumble Filling Canning Recipe
25
Sep
Sep
Autumn has arrived, and as the temperature starts to fall I begin to daydream about hot puddings. In this season of plenty our apple trees are weighed down with delicious ripe fruit. By following our simple canning recipe you can transform this wonderful abundance into an easy to use canned apple pie filling. With jars of yummy apples safely squirreled away, you can be sure to feast on pies and crumbles throughout the coming winter.
Canned Apple Pie Filling Ingredients
To make 6 x 1 litre Kilner, Pearl or similar canning jars you will need:
- 5kg of medium to large sized apples. This is an estimate as apple sizes and peeling techniques will vary.
- 2.4 litres water
- 1kg granulated sugar
- 125g corn starch
- 3 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 3 tbsp lemon juice. Use bottled lemon juice as it has a consistent acidity.
In the UK corn starch and the white powder corn flour used to thicken sauces and gravies are the same thing. Don’t confuse them with maize flour used for baking.
Cooking apple varieties, like the ubiquitous bramley, are perfect for this recipe. They have just the right tartness and, most importantly, are cultivated to be soft and very easy to peel with a knife. Use whatever you have to hand though. Because of the dry summer our bramley tree failed to give any usable fruit this year. In this recipe I used 2.5kg of shop bought bramleys mixed with 2.5kg of a crispy eating apple variety from our allotment.
Canned Apple Pie Filling Method
Preparing the Apples
- Fill a large bowl with 3 litres of water and 200ml of bottled lemon juice. Storing our freshly cut apple slices in this acidic mixture will help prevent browning.
- Peel, core and slice your apples. I prefer to use an apple corer first and then peel the apple using a short paring or peeling knife. Cut into large segments and place in your bowl as you go.
- Set aside the bowl of apple segments. Placing a plate on the surface of the apples will help keep them submerged.
Preparing a Syrup
- In a large saucepan create a sugar syrup by combining the sugar, water and spices. On a medium heat stir until all the sugar has dissolved.
- Add the corn flour and stir until fully dissolved.
- Bring the sugar syrup to a simmer and then take off the heat. Now stir in the lemon juice.
Canning the Apple Pie filling
Follow standard methods for water bath canning and ensure that your jars and lids are sanitised. If your stock pot or water bath canner is too small to hold all the jars, process them in batches.
- Heat the syrup.
- Pack the apple slices tightly into your jars.
- Ladle the hot syrup into the jars. Remove any air bubbles from the sides of the jars with a spatula. Leave at least 1cm of headspace.
- Wipe the jar rims and screw down the lids. For the Pearl Sunny Cap jars pictured here the lids are tightened down fully. For standard Kilner and Mason jars turn the lids until just finger tight.
- Place all the jars in the water bath ensuring they are completely submerged. Process at a rolling boil for 20 minutes.
- Switch off the heat and allow the jars to rest in the canner for a further 5 minutes before removing.
Storing the Apple Pie Filling
Store in a cool, shady place out of direct sunlight. The contents will be safe to eat for many years, but the texture will soften with time. I recommend using within 1 year. Keep opened jars in your fridge and use promptly.
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