Candy Apple Jelly
The County Fair will be here tomorrow and this jelly has been entered into fair again. I enter it every year and every year I win a blue ribbon for it! It’s so wonderful and tastes just like a candy apple. It’s great on a biscuit but it’s better on ice cream and since it’s apple time right now – you can make this quickly and have some County Fair at your house all year long!
Isn’t it pretty? I love the bright red color that the cinnamon candy brings.
Candy Apple Jelly
Ingredients
• 4 cups apple juice – cook apples for the juice or use bottled unsweetened and strain our fibers with cheese cloth.
• 1/2 cup red-hot candies
• 1 package powdered fruit pectin
• 4 1/2 cups sugar
Directions
1. In a large kettle, combine apple juice, candies and pectin. Bring to a full rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in sugar; return to a full rolling boil. Boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat. Pour hot liquid into hot jars, leaving 1/4-in. head space. Adjust caps. Process for 10 minutes in a boiling-water bath.
Happy Canning!
What a great recipe idea. I will have to give this one a shot. 🙂
It is very tasty indeed! Even my husband who doesn’t like any kind of jam or jelly except Smucker’s grape, like this one and one other kind. You can use it with all kinds of dessert items.
I still haven’t entered the world of canning but will definitely check out your recipes when I decide to do that. Great post on this Candy Apple! 😉
Thanks Malou!
I made this today and followed recipie exactly except I used fruit pectin instead of sure gel..hours later it is still not set, still liquidy…what did I do wrong..I did see another recipie of the same and it said fruit pectin so I’m a bit confused as to why it’s not setting…willing to try it again as it sounds yummy…any help?
Hi Eileen — I wouldn’t give up just yet! Check it this morning. Has it set? You know, jelly won’t set up as much as say preserves. However, if it’s still waterry — pop those caps and pour it back into the pot. Turn the burner on high and start stirring…………Bring it to a hard boil again and make sure you stir and let it hard boil for 60 full seconds………use your clock. Then ladle it back into the jars and put on new flats. Then use the water bath to can for 10 minutes. After you do all that — if it’s still watery, then try it again by starting all over but I bet it works!! Please let us know and good luck. Kelli!
This sounds interesting. I’ve made a lot of jam, jelly and preserves but never tried something like this. I love your header.
Lillian
lillianscupboard.wordpress.com
IT is so wonderful! I promise……..you have got to try it. I won a blue ribbon for it at the state fair 2 years ago……..and it’s beautiful to boot! Thanks for stopping by!
I am guessing that this makes about 5 to 6 jars of jell. Is that what it yields? Plan on making this soon with another type of apple jelly. Want to make sure I have enough jars.
yes – sometimes it makes 6 full jars and sometimes it makes 5 with a little leftover to put in the fridge! Thanks for dropping by and please come again!
Hi there, I made this last night and it smelled so good during the cooking process. It was very easy to make. I choose to use the apple juice instead of apples, so I’m anxious to see how this taste. One question…. How long should I leave it before tasting it? How should it be stored? Refrigerator? Basement where it is cool/dark?? BTW… I ended up with 8 – 8oz Jelly Jars from this recipe.
Hi Sarah – Oh you are going to LOVE this!! I’m so excited that you made it. It won me a blue ribbon at the Oklahoma State Fair one year not too long back you know…….it’s good! I like to let mine sit 2 weeks just as a personal preference but if it’s all jelled up and that will be kind of hard to tell since it is jelly, it doesn’t get real solid like preserves or jam does, then you can eat it after 24 hours.
When I have just a bit left in the pot and not enough for a full jar I put it in a small tupperware bowl with a lid on it and since I generally make mine on Saturdays then Sunday morning we have jelly or jam on biscuits. The Candy apple is good as a glaze on cakes or inside cinnamon sugar topped donuts……….just nearly anything you can come up with besides eating it as a jelly.
I store mine on the pantry shelf where it doesn’t get direct light but the light is on in there several times a day and it is in the house so it stays room tempurature. After you pop a lid though………put it in the fridge and keep it there. Before you pop the lid, push down in the middle of that flat part to make sure it’s still sealed. If it clicks and moves up and down, open it and throw it out – do not eat it. but if the flat part is still firm, it is sealed and good to go! let me know what you think of the taste as soon as you eat some!!
I am hoping it will work for jelly on top of cookies my husband makes. He wanted an apple jelly for the these cookies so I thought I would do my part and make it. I guess we’ll see how well it does on top of cookies and then baked. I will let you know.
I want to give this a try, but wondering about making it with less sugar? Any suggestions for that?
I have successfully made it with about 1 cup less sugar than stated but any less than that and the pectin won’t work right. But, you CAN make it without sugar and pectin if you 220F if you do not live at high altitudes and it will gel fine!
Mine is making now.. I hope it sets up… sometimes I have issues with my jellies setting up! Ill let you know!
Apply jelly is kind of “runny” isn’t it? I have trouble too – but after a couple of days it usually sets up. Let me know and thanks for stopping by!!
It has turned out very well! I am very pleased and the kids LOVE it! It set up like I wanted it to. I cant wait to make more and hand it out for Christmas. I have an apple tree that I take the apples from. Then for christmas I have a nice little basket for the families and have a loaf of crusty bread, crackers, jelly and apple butter with christmas candies, makes the perfect gifts! Thanks for the new Jelly!
I’m so glad Lisa!! They will make fantastic presents! I just love it myself and sometimes it never ends up as gifts because we eat it!
I was wondering how many cans does this make
It makes about 6 half-pint jars. Thanks for stopping by – it’s a blue ribbon winning (at our state fair) jelly!
How long is the shelf life?
About 2 years is what the FDA says. Thanks for dropping by and sorry it took so long to answer. Computer problems!
Hi!!
I just made up a batch and wondered if you could tell me how long yours took to set? Mine turned out beautiful, tastes yummy, and my house smells amazing, but after an hour it is still just syrup…..help!!
Oh gosh – give it 24 hours at least Zoe. Then, if it’s still syrup (remember Jelly will not jell like jam) then you can pop the lids and put it back in the pan bring to a boil and let it hard boil for 60 seconds – a full minute. You can add more pectin if you like but apple has pectin in it so you really shouldn’t need to. Let me know tomorrow if it has set up or not. Kelli
Thank you for the super quick response:) I will stop watching it, watched jelly probably never sets lol!! I will definitely let you know tomorrow what happens.
WOW! I just made this and was 100% successful 🙂 I did cook the final mixture about 30 seconds longer but it sure did sit perfectly! It is delicious and such a lovely color. It taste like both candy apples and apple pie. I’m about to make more because it will make perfect Christmas gifts along with some homemade bread. Thanks for passing this along. Did I mention that Anyone could do this?…Yay!
I’m so happy to hear this! I always love it when people come back and tell me theirs went as well as mine. Your gift recipients will be thrilled to get them!
I made this yesterday, but made the mistake of adding the sugar along with the apple juice, pectin and red hots. I boiled for 2 minutes. Tastes great, but after 24 hours appears to not be setting up. Can adding the sugar too early impact the jelling process? I will wait a few days, but fear I’ve ruined the batch …
Hi Denise – yes, adding the sugar at the same time does affect it and so does letting it boil without resting for 2 minutes but – maybe we can save it. Next day you have time pop the tops (throw them away and get new flats) pour the jelly back into the sauce pot, add 1/2 box of pectin bring to a boil and boil hard for 60 seconds. Take it off the stove and then process as you did last time. It should start setting up right away! let me know please! Good luck!
Thanks so much for the quick response. I will definitely give that a try (and not make that mistake again!)
What kind of apples do you use? This recipe looks amazing!
Pink lady, Fiji, gala, but my favorite is Cosmic Crisps. They are expensive but very delicious!
I use Apple skins,the juice from them,it works very well. I also use one cup of the cinnamon candies. Was a beautiful color. Looks just like a candy apple. I also make Apple scrap jelly every fall with my apples.
How do I make the apple juice using apples, I have never done this before!
You cook the peels in water just covering for a while and you’ll have apple juice.
I’ve just made it and whoa it’s just awesome and so easy! This year I have put up 250 plus jars of jelly and jam and preserves (not all cups either haha) so needless to say this will help to promote the wide variety I already have going on. So thank you! It was so easy it was like a breath of fresh air!
Can the apple jelly be frozen?
Do you mean like freezer jam? I do not know. I have never tried that. If you do that, let us know how it goes!