Easy Homemade Apple Jelly (Ball® FreshTECH Automatic Jam & Jelly Maker)

By Foodiewife

Yes, I do own a Ball® FreshTECH Automatic Jam & Jelly Maker and the Ball® FreshTECH Automatic Home Canning System-- and I absolutely love it! Yes, you can use a more traditional pot with a rack, and you can water can this recipe. This makes 4 to 5 half-pint sizes. Just be absolutely sure that the apple juice is 100% pure apple juice. If you use an apple juice from a concentrate, or it has any ingredients added-- then this recipe will be a complete failure. I use Ball® Real Fruit Classic Pectin, because it works great!

Ingredients

• 3 cups store bought, unsweetened 100% pure apple juice juice (I found it at Trader Joe's. Do NOT use apple juice concentrate)
• 4 tablespoons Ball® RealFruit® Classic Pectin
• 1/2 teaspoon butter or margarine
• 3 1/3 cups granulated sugar

Details

Servings 2
Preparation time 10mins
Cooking time 70mins
Adapted from afeastfortheeyes.net

Preparation

Step 1

It is really important to read the label on your fruit juice. Make sure it says 100% juice. Don't use juice from concentrate or any with added ingredients, like high fructose corn syrup.

Measure 3 cups apple juice in a 4-cup or larger liquid measuring cup.

Gradually whisk pectin into juice until fully incorporated. (Pectin will not be completely dissolved at this time.)

Pour juice mixture into the clean Pot fitted with the Stirrer.

The appliance will continue to automatically stir your ingredients while it cooks.

Stay within earshot of the Jam & Jelly Maker, the appliance will beep again at the end of the process signaling jelly cooking is complete.

Press cancel and unplug the appliance. REMOVE Stirrer using a pot holder. Skim foam, if necessary, from top of jelly.

Note: I poured the jelly through a fine-mesh strainer, and used a funnel, as well.

Conventional stove top method:

Add the sugar and let it come to a hard boil for one minute.

You can test the mixture by freezing a spoon, and dipping it into the mixture. If it thickens up, it's ready. If not, bring it to a boil for another minute.

Preserve jelly immediately. I use the water canning method, so I can enjoy this all year-long.

For Ball® FreshTECH Automatic Home Canning System:

Fill the inner pot to the fill line, and place the jars on top of the rack.

Shut and lock the lid, and press pre-heat and start (about 12 minutes).

Remove the hot jars, carefully (using a lifter), and fill each jar with the jelly.

Close each jar with a lid and band and tighten (but not too tight).

Set into the inner pot, close the lid and lock it.

Press jam/jelly and #1 (about 23 minutes)

Carefully remove each processed jar with a jar lifter and place on a towel-lined baking sheet.

Allow to completely cool (for several hours), label and store.