How to Make Apple Jelly
Updated: Oct 18, 2020
In order to make a perfectly clear jelly, there's a few key steps you need...
Jams and jellies are all about ratios and rules. Personally, I find making jams and jellies therapeutic, if you follow all the steps and take your time, they will always set.
I learned how to make jam and jelly from a book that my grandmother used, it was one of her first cookbooks. It is very simple and matter of fact and it doesn't mention most of what I now do. I have videos saved to my highlights on Instagram under 'Apple Jelly' and 'Apple & Raspberry Jelly' explaining how to do this.
Base Recipe for Apple Juice:
450g Whole Bramley or Crab Apples, washed & stem removed
300ml Water
1/2 Lemon, zest & Juice
Base Recipe for Apply Jelly:
600ml Apple Juice
450g Caster Sugar
Equipment:
Jam pot
Scales
Microplane/ Zester
Wooden Spoon
Measuring jug
Wide neck funnel/ Jam funnel
Sugar Thermometer/ Small plates
Sterilised Jars with lids or wax circles
Spoon & Boil for skimming the
Muslin Cloth/ Clean Tea Towel
Sieve
Oven proof tray
Apple Jelly
Part 1:
2.2kg Bramley Apple
1,470ml Water
2 Lemons, zest & juice
Part 2:
1,400ml Apple Juice (Part 1)
1,050g Caster Sugar
Method Part 1:
Add zest & juice to the water in Part 1. Wash the apples, remove the stems and chop into 1 inch pieces. Put the diced apples straight into the water and lemon mixture.
Cook on a high heat until apples are soft. The apples should be soft enough that you can crush them with the back of a spoon.
Set up a sieve lined with a muslin cloth doubled over twice or a clean tea towel over a clean pot or bowl.
Pour apples and all the liquid into the lined sieve. Let this mixture pass over 4 hours minimum or overnight. Do not force or squeeze the mixture otherwise it will result in a cloudy jelly. Make sure to cover your jelly to stop any unwelcome visitors in the juice.
Method Part 2:
The next day weigh out the liquid and work out the about of sugar required given in the ratios stated above.
Put small plates in the freezer to check the set if not using a thermometer.
Before cooking the jelly; wash jars and lids in hot soapy water, dry the jars and put in an oven proof tray with an inch of water to sterilise in an oven at 150°C for a minimum of 30 minutes. Put the clean lids into a pot and cover with water in a pot ready to boil before sealing that jars.
While the jars are sterilising in the oven, cook the juice and sugar on a high heat in a deep pot.
Bring the jelly to a rolling boil and as the jelly boils scum will rise to top and skim it off using a ladle or large spoon. Ensure that you remove all the scum, if not it will reduce the life span of the jelly or it will end up cloudy.
Cook on a high heat for approx. 45-60 minutes. Once the jelly reaches a temperature of 105°C it is ready. Without a thermometer, put a teaspoon of jelly on a frozen small plate and when the jelly holds it's shape & does not run on the plate, it is ready.
Once the jelly is ready, boil the lids.
Fill the jars using a jam funnel or a measuring jug. Do not overfill the jars. Dry the hot lids before sealing the jars.
Everything needs to be hot to ensure that a proper seal is achieved.
A well made jelly in properly sterilised and sealed jars will keep for at least a year if not longer.
