Hot Chile Jelly from Store-Bought Jelly

By á-47

Any chilies can be used. If desired, double the amount of milder ones.

Start with apple jelly. It's mild and unobtrusive, so you can jazz it up, even with fireball habaneros.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 oz. habanero chilies
• 1 cup rice vinegar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 4 jars(10 oz. each) apple jelly

Preparation

Step 1

Rinse chilies and cut off stem ends. Wearing gloves cut chilies in half lengthwise. Slice out and discard veins and seeds. Cut chilies into 1/8' to 1/6" slivers.

Put chilies, vinegar, and sugar in a 4 to 5 qt. saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring often, and boil until mixture is reduced to about 1/3 cup, about 7 minutes.

Scrape jelly from jars into pan. Stirring often, boil until jelly melts. Ladle hot jelly back into the unwashed jars to within 1/4" of the rims. Wipe rims clean and screw lids onto jars. (If there is a little extra jelly, pour into a small dish and cover when cool.)

After 1 1/2 hours, gently shake jelly in jars to redistribute chili pieces if they have floated to the top. When jelly is cool, use or store in the refrigerator up to 3 months.