The Canning Kitchen (23 page)

S
PICED
A
PPLE
T
OPPING

Indulge in one of fall’s best flavours year-round with this chopped apple topping spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Use in tarts, or stir a couple of spoonfuls into a bowl of steaming oatmeal for a comforting breakfast that tastes like apple pie.

MAKES SIX 250 ML (1 CUP) JARS

1 cup (250 mL) cold water

2 tbsp (30 mL) lemon juice

3 lb (1.4 kg) firm apples, such as Granny Smith 2 tsp (10 mL) cinnamon

½ tsp (2 mL) nutmeg

½ tsp (2 mL) ground cloves

4 cups (1 L) granulated sugar

Combine the water and lemon juice in a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Remove and discard the apple peels and cores. Dice the apples, adding them to the lemon water as you go. Stir in the cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Bring to a full boil over highest heat, stirring frequently. Maintain a full boil for 3 to 4 minutes, until the apples begin to soften.

Stir in the sugar. Return to a full boil for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Ladle into 6 clean 250 mL (1 cup) jars, leaving a ½-inch (1 cm) headspace.

Poke a non-metallic utensil inside each jar a few times to remove any air bubbles, topping up with apple mixture if necessary. Process in a boiling water bath canner for 15 minutes using the Processing Checklist on
page 17
.

TIP
Any apple will do, but if you prefer a chunky topping, choose firm apples that will hold their shape well when cooked, such as Granny Smith, Braeburn and Honeycrisp. Keep an eye out for untended apple trees in your area. In the fall, a neighbour may be thrilled to let you pick their tree in exchange for a few jars of the homemade preserves you’ll make.

A
PPLE
B
UTTER

Apple butter is a timeless canning favourite. Enjoy it spread on hot cinnamon toast, or try snuggling it between two slices of buttered bread with sharp Cheddar and pan-fry for a grilled cheese experience you won’t soon forget.

MAKES FIVE 250 ML (1 CUP) JARS

5 lb (2.25 kg) saucing apples, such as McIntosh, Spartan or Golden Delicious

2 cups (500 mL) water

1½ cups (375 mL) brown sugar

2 tsp (10 mL) cinnamon

½ tsp (2 mL) ground cloves

½ tsp (2 mL) nutmeg

Remove and discard the apple peels and cores. Chop the apples into large chunks, adding them to a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Pour in the water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and continue cooking, covered and stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes or until soft.

Smooth out the sauce with a masher (or use an immersion blender for an even smoother apple butter). Stir in the brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. Simmer on medium-low, uncovered and stirring frequently to prevent scorching, for 90 minutes, until dark and thick. Remove from the heat.

Ladle into 5 clean 250 mL (1 cup) jars, leaving a ¼-inch (5 mm) headspace. Poke a non-metallic utensil inside each jar a few times to remove any air bubbles, topping up with apple butter if necessary. Process in a boiling water bath canner for 15 minutes using the Processing Checklist on
page 17
.

TIP
Experiment with other apple-friendly spices such as star anise, allspice, ginger and mace.

A
PPLE
P
IE
F
ILLING

Making homemade desserts is as easy as pie when jars of this classic and comforting filling are in the pantry. This delicious filling isn’t limited to just pies. It’s also ideal for making apple crumble, cobbler, crisp and brown betty.

MAKES TWO 1 L (4 CUP) JARS OR FOUR 500 ML (2 CUP) JARS

2 tbsp (30 mL) lemon juice

5 lb (2.25 kg) pie apples, such as Gala or Granny Smith

1½ cups (375 mL) granulated sugar

2 tsp (10 mL) cinnamon

½ tsp (2 mL) ground cloves

½ tsp (2 mL) nutmeg

Pour the lemon juice into a large bowl and fill halfway with cold water. Remove and discard the apple peels and cores. Slice the apples about
⅛
-inch (3 mm) thick, immersing the slices in the lemon water as you go to prevent browning.

In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, combine the sugar, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. Scoop the apples out of the lemon water and into the pot. Add
⅓
cup (75 mL) of the lemon water. Stir to coat the apples with the spices. Bring to a full boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and continue cooking, tossing gently with two wooden spoons, for 2 minutes, just to soften the apples. Remove from the heat.

Pack the apples snugly into 2 clean 1 L (4 cup) jars or 4 clean 500 mL (2 cup) jars.

Bring the cooking liquid back to a boil over high heat. Maintain a full boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly, to thicken. Pour the cooking liquid over the apples, leaving a 1-inch (2.5 cm) headspace. Poke a non-metallic utensil inside each jar a few times to remove any air bubbles, topping up with more cooking liquid if necessary. Process in a boiling water bath canner for 25 minutes using the Processing Checklist on
page 17
.

TIP
Play around with spices like ginger or allspice to find the blend you like best. To use as pie filling, pour the contents of a 1 L (4 cup) jar or two 500 mL (2 cup) jars into a large bowl. In a small bowl, mix together 2 tbsp (30 mL) cornstarch and 2 tbsp (30 mL) water. Stir the mixture into the apple filling. Pour into a double-crust pie shell and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 50 to 60 minutes, until the filling is bubbling.

S
ALTED
C
ARAMEL
P
EAR
B
UTTER

This decadent pear butter proves that dynamic flavour can come from just a handful of simple ingredients. Slow cooking turns pears, brown sugar, lemon juice and salt into a deeply coloured, sophisticated dessert sauce. Spread this between cake layers or spoon over vanilla ice cream.

MAKES SIX 250 ML (1 CUP) JARS

8 lb (3.5 kg) ripe pears

2 cups (500 mL) brown sugar

2 tbsp (30 mL) lemon juice

1 tsp (5 mL) salt

Rinse the pears under cool running water. Remove and discard the stems, peels and cores. Dice the pears, adding them to a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Crush with a masher. Bring to a bubble over high heat. Lower the heat to medium and continue cooking for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

Purée the pears using an immersion blender or standard blender. Stir in the brown sugar and lemon juice. Return to medium heat and let bubble for 80 to 90 minutes, stirring occasionally, until darkened and thick. (You may need to lower the heat to medium-low and stir more frequently toward the end to prevent scorching.) Remove from the heat. Stir in the salt.

Ladle into 6 clean 250 mL (1 cup) jars, leaving a ¼-inch (5 mm) headspace. Process in a boiling water bath canner for 15 minutes using the Processing Checklist on
page 17
.

TIP
Any pear variety can be used to make pear butter, so use your favourites. Bartlett and Anjou are nice choices. To know if your pears are ripe, just check the neck. A ripe pear will give slightly when pressed just below the stem.

P
EAR
A
MARETTO
S
AUCE

Amaretto liqueur lifts a batch of pear preserves from simple to sophisticated. This luxurious topping is easy to prepare and absolutely glorious spooned over vanilla ice cream or a slice of rich, creamy cheesecake. A flavour combination that’s just meant to be, this is my all-time favourite thing to make with pears.

MAKES FIVE 250 ML (1 CUP) JARS

3 lb (1.4 kg) ripe pears

3 cups (750 mL) granulated sugar

½ cup (125 mL) amaretto liqueur

Rinse the pears under cool running water. Remove and discard the peels, stems and cores. Coarsely chop the pears, adding them to a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Crush with a masher into a chunky consistency.

Stir in the sugar. Bring to a full boil over highest heat, stirring frequently. Maintain a full boil for 3 to 4 minutes, until the bits of pear are tender. Stir in the amaretto. Return to a full boil for 1 minute. Remove from the heat.

Ladle into 5 clean 250 mL (1 cup) jars, leaving a ¼-inch (5 mm) headspace. Process in a boiling water bath canner for 15 minutes using the Processing Checklist on
page 17
.

TIP
To get the best flavour from pears, allow them to ripen before using. A ripe pear should be juicy and soft instead of crunchy. To ripen hard pears, leave them at room temperature for a few days and check them again for a tender neck.

P
EAR
S
LICES

Fresh fruit is wonderful, but canned fruit is also a huge hit in my house, especially with my kids. Canned pears are handy for adding to muffins, making quick desserts or enjoying just as they are.