Apple Pie in a Jar

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I really like this recipe for camping.  I first came across the idea at Recipelion and crossed it with my old favorite apple pie recipe.  Just bring your cast iron skillet camping and either a pre made pie crust of some granola crumbles.  The skillet idea could even work at home for a quick and easy dessert.

4 cups white sugar (a combo of white and brown would be good too)
1 cup corn starch or tapioca
1 teaspoon Salt
2 teaspoons Cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg (optional)
4 teaspoons Lemon Juice
10 cups Water
28 cups sliced Granny Smith apples
(2 small apples per cup or 1 pound per cup, I used 2 bags of small apples)

Place a rack in the bottom of a large stock pot. Fill pot with hot water. Sterilize 7 1 quart canning jars, 7 lids and 7 rings by placing on rack, jars upright. Bring water to a boil. Boil 10 minutes. Remove with a holder and allow jars to air-dry. Save water for

Combine sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and water in a large saucepan. Place over high heat and cook until thick and bubbly, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice. Make sure you cook out all of the corn starch taste.

Tightly pack apples into sterilized jars. Make sure you leave a space at the top of the jar. Slowly pour syrup over apples, covering them completely. This step is a slow process as it takes time for the thick syrup to seep into the packed jars. Gently tap jars on countertop to allow air bubbles to rise. Screw lids on jars.

Carefully lower jars into pot using a holder. Leave a 2 inch space between jars. Add more boiling water if necessary, until tops of jars are covered by 2 inches of water. Bring water to a full boil, then cover and process for 30 minutes (cold packed apples should be done for no less than this).

Remove jars from pot and place cloth-covered or wood surface, several inches apart, until cool. Once cook, press top of each lid with finger, ensuring that seal is tight (lid doesn't move up or down at all). Sealed jars can be stored for up to a year.

*Working note: Very tart apples may require a larger amount of sugar and very juicy ones may call for a larger amount of tapioca or cornstarch.

**Apples are not cooked though this process. Final product still needs full cooking to soften apples.

***Add jar's contents to your favorite fresh or frozen 9" pie crust recipe. Bake 425 for 15 minutes. Lower temp to 375 and bake for 35 more minutes.

****To make Foil Apple Cobbler take a sheet of foil and spray with nonstick spray. Place several spoon fulls of apple filling. Add granola. Toss in some carmel for fun. Close and roast for 20-30 minutes.





This post has been linked to:

• Ultimate Recipe Swap at Life as Mom