Apple Jelly is a versatile preserve that's simple to make and perfect for using up a glut of apples. A delicious alternative to jam as a spread on bread or a filling for cakes.
Apple Jelly is also lovely served with savoury foods such as roast chicken, cooked ham, or cheese. In fact, anywhere that you might serve the more familiar redcurrant jelly.
With three mature apple trees at our cottages in Suffolk, we now have a lot of apples each year make lots of apple recipes: cakes, pies, apple juice and apple jelly.
While the best time to make apple jelly is when they are in season, you can make it at anytime of the year when apples are cheap and plentiful.
Bramley apples, store well and the price tends to be fairly static throughout the year. They are a good choice for making apple jelly if you don't have your own supply of apples.
Ingredients and equipment
To make apple jelly you will need:
- Apples – Both cooking and eating apples can be used to make the jelly. Different varieties will give the jelly slightly different characteristic. See apple varieties below.
- Lemon juice
- Sugar – I use white granulated cane sugar to make jellies as I find this produces the clearest jelly, but golden granulated, golden caster or white caster sugar can also be used.
You will also need a jelly bag or muslin to strain the fruit pulp, plus a preserving pan or very large saucepan.
Scroll down for quantities and full printable recipe at the bottom of this post.
Apple Varieties
I experimented with all three of the different varieties of apple we have to make the jelly: Discovery, a small bright red dessert apple; an unknown eating apple that we call our October apple (as that is when it is ripe); and Bramley apples.
Each batch of apples produced slightly varying amounts of juice and the resulting jelly came out a slightly different colour. Interestingly during storage, they have now all darkened slightly and are almost identical.
They also had subtly different flavours. Not surprisingly the Bramley Apple Jelly had a little more tang and for this reason, I think it is the best variety to use if you want to serve it with savoury foods. I love it with roast chicken or pork.
How to prepare the apples
Simply wash the apples (especially well if they are windfalls) and cut into thick slices. There is no need to peel or core the apples. Just discard any bruised or rotten parts of the apple.
The fruit is then cooked with some water until very soft.
Step 1 Wash and cut the apples into thick slices.
Step 2 Place in a pan, add water and cook until very soft.
Step 3 Strain though a colander lined with muslin or a jelly bag.
Step 4 Measure juice and add the sugar and lemon juice.
How to achieve a clear jelly
While making apple jelly is easy, it does require time and patience. Allow the juice to drain through the jelly bag under its own weight and DO NOT be tempted to push the fruit down or squeeze the bag to hurry the process along as this will cause the jelly to be cloudy. While it will taste fine it will not look so good.
Step 5 Boil until setting point is reached.
Step 6 Skim off any skum from the surface of the jelly and discard.
Boiling the jelly
Once all the juice has drained through the jelly bag you need to measure the quantity and calculate how much sugar to add. For each 250ml/9floz (1cup) of juice, add 200g/7oz (1 cup) of sugar. Plus the lemon juice.
Then heat gently stirring until the sugar has dissolved, then increase the heat and bring to a rolling boil.
Cook's Tip
If you do not have a preserving pan use a very large saucepan. The liquid should not fill the pan more than one third as it will rise high up the sides of the pan when it is brought to a rolling boil.
How to test for a set
Testing for a set is probably the trickiest part of the whole process. I use a thermometer, setting point is around 105℃ (220°F) but I still like to do a wrinkle test too to confirm setting point has been reached.
Once you think setting point is reached remove from the heat. (Do this before doing the wrinkle test only return to the heat again if needed.)
- Before you start making your jam or preserve, place a couple of plates in the fridge to chill.
- When you are ready to test for set, remove the pan from the heat. Drop a little of the preserve onto a chilled plate and return to the fridge for about 2 minutes. Gently push your finger into the mixture and see if it mounds and wrinkles. If so, the setting point has been reached.
- If not, return the mixture to the boil for few more minutes and retest. Repeat again as necessary until setting point is reached.
See my preserving tips for more jam making hints and tips.
Skim this off any scum that forms with a long handled spoon. Whilst it is not harmful to eat it will spoil the look of your jelly.
Step 7 Pour into warm sterilised jars. A jam funnel will make this easier.
Step 8 Seal immediately and allow to cool before labeling.
While you can ladel the jelly straight into the jars, if you dont have a jam funnel you may find it easier to transfer the jam to a large measuring jug first. Then pour the jelly into the jars especially if the neck f the jar is quite small.
Fill almost to the rim to allow for shrinkage on cooling. Immediately after each jar is filled, cover the top with a waxed disc (wax side down) or piece of parchment so that it lies flat on the surface and excludes any air. This will help to prevent mould forming in storage.
Then place the lid on the jar while the jam is still hot and tighten.
Alternatively, the jars can be sealed with cellophane secured over the jar with a rubber band. As the preserve cools the cellophane will tighten producing an airtight seal.
My jelly hasn't set, what should I do?
Testing for set gets easier with experience. But all is not lost if you dont get it right the first time. Boil for a bit too long then the set may be a little bit firmer than you might like but will still taste fine.
If on the other hand your jelly does not set after allowing it to cool for at least 12 hours. Simply tip the jelly back into the pan and return to the boil and boil again for a few more minutes before testing again.
Remember to resterilise the jars.
Do I need a water bath to make the jelly?
In the US and some other countries, it is common to use a water bath after potting, while this is necessary with some preserves especially low sugar or low acidity preserves, it is not common practice in the UK. This recipe follows the UK style of preservation which relies on acidity/ sugar concentration to prevent spoilage and is a method of preservation that has been used for centuries.
How to serve apple jelly
The first time I made Apple Jelly it was for Recipes Made Easy. I have made it many times now, it is so versatile and a good condiment to have handy. It can be used instead of jam in many recipes.
It also makes a great glaze for flans and tarts, simply warm gently before brushing on. Given my ready supply, I use it instead of an apricot glaze when making cakes.
Apple Jelly is also lovely served with savoury foods In fact, anywhere that you might serve the more familiar redcurrant jelly.
I also like a spoonful with, roast chicken or pork and I often add a spoonful to the gravy when making roast, chicken, turkey or pork.
It is also a great addition on a cheese board, especially where it goes especially well with blue cheeses. Give it a try and let me know how you like to serve it.
Storeage
When made corrctly and stored in a cool dark place the apple jelly will keep for a year unopened. After this the colour will darken and the flavour will deteriorate.
Once opened use with 6 to 8 weeks.
Apple Jelly
Equipment
- chopping board
- knife
- Large saucepan
- long handled spoon
- jelly bag or muslin
- preserving pan
- jam funnel
- preserving / jam jars
Ingredients
- 2 kg (4½lb) apples
- 1.25 litres (2pts) water
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 kg (2¼lb) granulated sugar
Instructions
- Wash 2kg (4½lb) apples. Cut out and discard any bad bits, then cut into thick slices. There is no need to peel or core the apples. Place in a preserving pan or large saucepan and add 1.25lites (2pts) water.
- Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and cook for about 30 minutes until the apples are very soft and mushy.
- Line a colander with a square of muslin (or use a jelly bag and stand) and set it over a large bowl. Spoon in the apples and juices and allow to stand for at least 4 hours or overnight until all the juices have dripped out. Do not be tempted to squeeze it to hurry it along as it will make the jelly cloudy if you do.
- Measure the apple juice into a large saucepan or preserving pan and for each 250ml/9floz (1cup) juice add 200g/7oz (1 cup) sugar. Add 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Heat gently stirring until the sugar has dissolved, then increase the heat and bring to a rolling boil.
- Continue to boil until the mixture reaches 105-110℃ (220-225°F) on a thermometer and test for set. (A small blob placed on a cold plate and left for a few minutes will wrinkle when pushed with your fingertip.)
- When the jelly has reached setting point, pour into warm sterilised jars. Seal immediately and allow to cool.
- Label when cold and store in a cool, dark place.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
More Apple Recipes Made Easy
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Seamus Og McGilligan says
Hi,
Me and My daughter (4) made this a few months back and we loved it, i am going to make it again however i didn't yield as much as expected. You say "spoon the apple and the juices" if i recall i just put in the apples into the colander and discarded everything else in the pan. Would this be the reason? When you say spoon do you mean the entire contents of the pot? as there was quite a bit of water left and i felt like it was maybe not supposed to trasnfered?
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Yes I do indeed mean you strain all the contents of the pan. You do not discard anything until after it has been stained. That "water" you descibe has a lot of apple juices and flavour.
Louise says
This worked great though I did a lot of googling the next day when it wasn’t quite set. I read several times to ‘trust the process’ as pectin can take 48 hours. In the end I thought I should reboil with added pectin because it was tilting in the jar. Took lid off and topped first jar upside down … it wouldn’t come out! Set was perfect 🙂
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Glad you got the set you were happy with the recipe. Its true sometime a but of patience can make all the doiference Apple does have a lot of pectin so it was unlikely it need more. Just re boiling would have probably been sufficient it get a firmer set if the first set is softer than you like.
rebecca says
Great recipe, the apples had red and green skins so it made a lovely coloured jelly. May try adding mint or chilli another time.
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
So pleased you liked the recipe. I love how the different apples produce a different colour. Would love to know what you think of the variations if you make them.
Dave Milnes says
Delicious recipe - it did foam a lot when it was boiling, so when it was ready I dropped a small knob of butter onto it which pushed all the froth to the sides, leaving a nice clear area to ladle from 🙂
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Fabulous to hear that you have a lovely clear jelly. I need to replenish my stock of jelly this year Im running low. Enjoy!
Pauline says
What would be te best way to add mint? Could I just add dried mint after straining?
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
You can add mint with the apples for a stronger flavour but if you want pretty flecks of mint throughout then stir in after boiling. allow to cool fopr about 10 minutes stir in the mint and pour into the jars. I find it works bets with fresh mint.
Sue says
I would like to add chilli to the jelly. Would a whole fresh red chilli be ok or does it have to be dried flakes.
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
You could add a fresh chilli with the apples before straining or add some chilli flakes after straining which would give the apple jelly pretty sprinkles of chilli in the jelly itself.
Manuela Ferreira says
I made apple jelly, using windfall coxes from a pip grown tree, my late mother planted. I sieved the cooked apples through cotton cloth inside a colander left overnight. I squeezed cloth to extract remaining juice, 1 kilo of apples yielded 1 litre of liquid. The gelling time was approx 25 minutes, lowish heat, rolling boil. Great consistency, colour and taste. Thank you for the lucid recipe.
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Pleased you like the recipe. The amount of juice will vary with the variety sound likes yours were nice and juicy. I would not advise squeezing the juice through the cloth as this can make the jelly cloudy.
Till says
I've never made fruit preserve before, but this year I had a glut of apples from the 1 tree in my garden. So I followed your recipe, and it turned out really well! It's amazing that you only need to add water, sugar and lemon juice. In my home country people use a specific "jelly sugar" that has added pectin, preservatives and palm oil (to suppress foaming). But I like this "pure" recipe much better. Thank you!
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Im so pleased you like this recipe better. Your jelly sugar is probably similar to out jam sugar which has added pectin (but no preservatives or palm sugar). While good for some fruits apples are naturally high in pectin and using this sugar would like create a much firmer and not so pleasant set. Some jam recipes call for a little butter to be disperse any foam but i tend to only do that if really necessary. Enjoy the jelly over the coming months. Sadly my apple crop this year was rather poor so I don't have enough to make a batch this year and im down to my last jar 🙁
Sarah says
Do you cook apples with kid on or off please?
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Yes you cook the apples with the skins on. There is no need to peel or core the apples as you are using the juice only so the skin, pips and core will be discarded.
Sarah says
So sorry. Phone changed. Kid was meant to say lid. Do yoy cook the apples down with lid in the pan or lid off please? I had a go yesterday and had lid on. Think it's meant to be off. Anyway I ended up tipping water away and letting the apples drain. It's made a lovely jelly after cooking. But only 2 jars. I feel if I'd had lid off and allowed the evaporation then kept the water it eould have made more.
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
I cook mine with the lid off but I'mm sure it would have been fine with the lid on if you had not discarded the juice. You need to keep all of the liquid that is strained from the apples as the juice and flesh would have flavoured the added water.
Jean Koziol says
I I made a couple a batches last year and they disappeared soo quickly, that I'm making some more today, but as I've got a few Ribston Pippins on the ground (windfalls) I'm planning to add them too. Love the idea of extra vitamins as well as Ribstons have the highest vitamin count, I think. I have a question though, I am wondering whether to try adding some mint to the jelly, how so you think that will work. I'llprobably try it on a small batch and see, otherwise let rip with as much apple jelly as I can find time to make.
Thank you millions for such a great recipe.
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Adding mint to the jelly is a delicious variation. I would start by adding 5-010 g chopped fresh mint. Allow the jelly to cool slightly before stirring in the mint and potting. If your mint is dry it’s more inclined to float to the top. Rinse your leaves, give shake to remove excess water before finely chopping.
Joanne says
Thank you, made my first batch and it has turned out well I think. I am wondering about adding a sprig of Rosemary to my next batch and removing before bottling.
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
delighted you like the recipe. You can indeed add rosemary and remove before potting. Altrenatively you can dip sprigs of rodeamry into boiling water and then pop one per jar into the jelly when potting.
Julianne Harvey says
Delicious! Didn't get much juice from my first batch (using Bramley apples), so added a bit more water to my second batch and worked much better. Friends and family have requested adding some chilli flakes, for chilli jelly with cheese and crackers, so am onto my third batch! Thanks so much.
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Ohh I like the idea of a little chilli in the jelly. Ive always made my jelly with apples fresh from the tree but it could be that stored Bramley apples are a little less juicy so I'm very pleased the addition of a little extra water helped.
Anna says
Super recipe, flavoured mine with a cinnamon stick and a star anise which I removed before putting into jars....whole house smells delicious! Will definitely make more next year.....this batch used up the last of my apples from my tree. Blenheim Orange variety I’m told.
Just a thought...the lady who asked about pork pies...did she mean using this jelly to fill the space in a homemade raised pork pie....?
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
So pleased you liked the jelly and thank you for the 5 star rating. Blenheim orange is such a lovely variety of apple. I think I shall add some cinnamon to mine too next time I make it. I did wonder if that was what the lady meant but you would have to be making the pies at the same time and it would take such a small amount so I wasnt sure.
Frances Walker says
I am trying Apple Jelly for the first time-did eventually crack bramble and apple several weeks ago!!Your recipe is so explicit.It has yielded 1litre of juice and I feel that I should have more;so I have boiled up the pulp and it is now straining as I attack the leaves in the garden!!!Should I add it to my litre?
Thank you.
Frances
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
I'm slightly puzzled by what you mean when you say you are boiling up the pulp. You have already cooked the apple into a pulp why would you boil it up again? One litre of juice while at the lower end sounds about right. I would expect to get between 1 lite and 1 ¼ litres depending on the variety of apple and how much evaporation has taken place while cooking the apple (if you boil it rapidly at this stage you would get less.
I would stick to just using the juice you have adding more after further cooking the pulp (if that is what you meant) could make it cloudy and at best would dilute the flavour and worse stop it setting altogether.
Bazz says
Can the recipe be halved without affecting the texture?
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Yes you can. The key thing is to make sure the juice to sugar ratio (see step 4) is correct.
Anita Lautsch says
Do the jars get processed in a boiling water canner at all?
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
No there is no processing of the jars in a water canner. Just make sure you sterilise the jars and pour the hot jelly into the jars and seal while still hot.
Ben says
Hi I tried this recipe but it did not work as I had hoped it was slightly jelly like, but not as thick as normal.
So I am wondering if you can over boil the liquid?
Nevertheless I will try it again and hope it works better.
Thanks, B.H
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
It sounds like you didnt quite reach the full setting point. Did you do the wrinkle test? You should get a pretty clear wrinkle in the jelly when it is ready. If not boil a little longer. Apple jelly is usually easy to get a good set as apples are naturally high in pectin.
Catherine says
When you say this recipe makes 6 jars, what's the size of your "standard" jar that you use? I have some 250ml jam jars and only want to make 2 or 3 jars How much should I reduce the recipe by? half? Quarter? Thanks!
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
My jars are 450g. It would be quite a lot of hard work to make just 2-3 small jars which would probably need less than a quarter of the ingredients. If you have some extra jars maybe you could give them to a friend or two. However, much you reduce it by the important thing is to keep the sugar to juice ratio correct (see step 4)
Kirsty says
I have just finished making the jelly and was so easy and better yet successful!!! This will now be a yearly task instead of using all the apples for crumble!
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Apple crumble is good but you can have too much of a good thing. Glad you are loving the jelly too. see you same page same place next year for more clear golden deliciousness 🙂
jennifer bartick says
Hi, this jelly looks great but could you give me some idea of how long to boil it before set, some I've made can take over one hour, thanks
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Hi jenny It is hard to give an exact time as it will depend a lot on the efficiency of you hob the size of you pan and what the pan is made of. Generally speaking The wider the pan and the therefore the shallower the depth of liquid in it, the quicker it will evaporate and reach setting point. Expect it to take between 30 minutes and 1 hour.
Terry says
Have just made a batch of jelly using your clear, concise instructions Jacqui and it has turned out beautifully. Only mistake I made was not straining the lemon juice before adding to the pan, so I have flecks of lemon floating in clear Jelly. Tastes great regardless! Thank you for sharing.
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Very pleased to hear it turned out beautifully all be it with a few fleck of lemon. Seeing those just go to prove what a perfectly clear jelly you achieved. Enjoy!
James says
First batch i used 2 kg of apples, it took quite a while to reach setting point and produce 2 and a half pots (450G Jars) of jelly which had a light golden colour with a slight pinkish hue to it which tastes wonerful.
Second batch i used 3 kg of apples and scaled the recipe up. After reading the comments i boiled it harder and ended up with 6 pots that have a deeper golden colour
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Pleased the recipe worked out well for you and that you now have a good supply of jelly to keep you going til next year 🙂
Dominic says
Well I made apple jelly for the first time yesterday, and followed the recipe it was just great, and like others it was something my french grandmother used to make and I just remember the special jar she would make for me, it was lovely to retreat that memory, and it tastes great.
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Dominic, I'm so glad you enjoyed it. And very happy that it brought back some happy memories for you. I just love how food can do that!
Elaine Young says
I have just found this recipe and cannot wait to try it. I have lots of James Grieve apples in the garden. I recently came to USA (from England) and found apple and cinnamon jelly in a store. How much cinnamon should I add for this quantity please.
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
I like the idea of adding cinnamon. I haven't tested it so it's hard to say but I would start with something like 1 -2 tsp. I would add it to the juice and taste it. remember the flavour may intensify on keeping. I would err on side of caution with a test batch to start. Hope this helps and would love to know the answer if you try it
Karen B. Jones says
Love the simple recipe. I have an orchard and needed to do something with our over abundance of apples. I used a steam canner and canned eleven 1/2 pint jars. I had so much juice left over, I also made seven 1/2 pints for freezer jelly. Can’t wait to try it.
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
How wonderful to have a whole Orchard. Glad you like the recipe Karen - Enjoy:)
Sam says
Hi there, your recipe sounds easy but just one question. I have already peeled and cored my apples for freezing....usually used in chutneys etc. If I use these, will it still set? I understand there is some pectin in the peel etc.
Many thanks
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Ive not actually made it that way but apple generally has a fair bit of pectin so it should set but I can not guarantee it.
Mark says
Used James Grieve apples . Have been at pains not to squeeze the bag but the strained juice looks a bit cloudy . Will this turn into a lovely pink jelly ?
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Not sure why it would come out a bit cloudy if you dont squeeze the bag but not to worry Im sure it will still taste amazing. I found each different varity gave me a slightly different golden colour (including the discovery apples I used that are very red apples) The colour darkens on keeping.
Helen Payne says
Just made my first ever apple jelly from my garden apples.
I remember my grandma making it and when I tasted it, it took me straight back to her! So happy with it that I'm going to try some more with some cooking apples my mother in law has just passed to me from her garden!!
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
I so love how food can bring back memories and so pleased that this recipe did so for you. I hope you enjoy the next batch just as much.
Margaret Sims says
Tried the apple jelly today for first time. Very good explanation and it set very quickly, although I added slightly less sugar than you recommend.
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Glad you liked the recipe. I am to make my recipes as clear as I can, so I am pleased that you found it easy to follow. Just be aware that by reducing the sugar it may reduce the keeping time so I would store them in the refrigerator.
Gaynor says
Had a glut of Bramely apples this year, the freezer is now full so decided to use your recipe for apple jelly and it is really excellent - great recipe. Thank you so much.
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
We have a good crop this year but so many have now fallen as windfalls so I need to get busy making this jelly again too. Glad you liked the recipe I think Bramley possibly makes the best jelly.
LISA FUCHS says
Really fast and easy recipe, many thanks!
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Glad you found it easy and now you can enjoy a lovey supply of apple jelly 🙂 Thanks for taking the time to rate and comment, always appreciated.
Margaret Buckley says
Just made apple jelly for 3rd time this season using last of my partners apples. The only thing I’m concerned at is takes ages to get to setting point and reduces liquid by half so for effort I end up with 3small jars . I was wondering if I’m not boiling it quick enough wondered if you have any ideas for next year to improve my volume. Do love jelly once made but soon uses up .
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
It should not take you that long to reach setting point so if it is taking you a very long time then it could be you are not boiling it fast enough I certainly do mine at a good rolling boil. It should not be reduced by half. The other possible thing that will reduce yield is the variety of the apples you use I know I got slightly different volumes according to the variety. Good luck next year as you say it does taste lovely.
Wayne McRae says
When I was young, my grandmother would make apple jelly for the family. It was one of those wonderful memories I have of growing up in New Zealand. Apple jelly is great on toast. My grandmother passed away nearly a decade ago, and I'm now living in Scotland, a long way from home and family. Recently, I realized it had been many years since I had apple jelly. I haven't seen it in a supermarkets, so I decided to make some... it can't be that hard. It took some experimentation, and there were a few goofs, but I think I have it figured out. Your recipe is easy to follow, and tastes just like nana used to make. Idon't know how, or if, I can embed an image, so sharing a link instead. I used golden delicious apples for this batch.
Thank you for the recipe, Jaqueline.
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
What a lovely story. Taste can bring back such lovely memories. Delighted you enjoyed making and tasting this recipe and thanks for the picture I shall share on social media if that ok with you. You certainly got it beautifully clear.
Wayne McRae says
I'm happy for you to use the image, Jacqueline. Just add attribution as appropriate. Also, let me know if you want the higher resolution original image. I can share that with you as well.
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
fabulous low res should be fine for social media I'll just use your 1st name if that's ok,i think other readers like to see what people have made gives that less confidence the push to try and it makes me happy to share.
Elaine Kirkham says
Just made the apple jelly, it appears to have turned out well. One question Jaqueline, how do you stop the skin forming on top of the jelly when ready to pour into jars?
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
HI Elaine Glad they turned out well. I'm not quite sure what you mean as I havent had a problem with a skin forming. Do you mean a skin forms before you pour into the jars? If you do it quickly then you shouldnt get one, if the jelly is still hot and it begins to form you should be fine just stirring in as the hot jelly would remelt the setting layer on top.
Christopher Nugee says
Dear Jacqueline
Thank you for this recipe which worked perfectly.
My only surprise was that we did not get as much jelly as the recipe suggests. We used 4 kg of apples (ie twice the recipe amount) which produced 2 litres of juice, added 8 cups of sugar and 4 tbsp lemon juice and boiled until about 108 C to get it to set. This only filled 6 jars (400g or 1 lb size) whereas I was expecting about twice that from the recipe. Did I miss something?
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Hi Cristopher, So pleased you were happy with how the recipe worked and I am sure you are going to love eating the jelly. I realise I should have stated jar size. If i remember correctly mine were about 12oz jars so you wouldn't not get 12 lb jars but even so i would have expected you to have got more than 6 jars with double quantity. The most likely reason is that you cooked the apples on too a high a heat and too much moisture evaporated as you cooked them thus reducing the amount of juice. after straining. Given that you should have added 2.5 litres of water for a double quantity I would expect you to get at least that much juice where as in fact you got less. The other reasons I can think of would be the variety of apples you used, as some will produce more juice than others during cooking. Also the amount of juice may vary from year to year.I've noticed my discovery apples produced much less juice this year than last. so all of these things may have effected the overall amount of jelly you got from the recipe. I hope this helps Jacqui.
Meliana says
I'm making for the 2nd times now, I followed and it turn out amazing set perfectly
thank you for this amazing and easy recipe.
I live in Asia most of the time but I haven't been able to find Apple jelly in any store, there's Apple jam though.
unfortunately I can't replace Apple jelly for Apple jam. as for my bbq baby pork ribs sauce call for Apple jelly.
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Thank you so much for taking the time to comment. Love getting comments like this delighted that you like the recipe.
Beryl says
Just tried making apple jelly for the first time and it has turned out lovely. Thank you for the simple easy-to-follow recipe! 🙂
Jacqui Bellefontaine says
I'm so glad you liked it and found the recipe easy to follow. Thank you for taking the time to comment. Good feed back from someone who has made my recipes really makes my day 🙂
Pat says
Have followed this recipe but it has not set is there anything I can do
Jacqui Bellefontaine says
I am surprised that the jelly has not set as its a tried and tested recipe and I found mine all set regardless of the variety. Did you do the wrinkle test? Returning the mixture to the pan and reboiling until you get a good wrinkle using the wrinkle test should work.
Libia Gomez-Jupe says
Lovely recipe easy to follow but I am afraid the jelly did not set. I had to add a satchel of pectin (8g).
I have bottled the jelly now and I am looking forward to taste it.
Jacqui Bellefontaine says
I am surprised that the jelly has not set as its a tried and tested recipe and I found mine all set regardless of the variety. Did you do the wrinkle test? It is very strange that you needed to add pectin since most commercial pectin is made from apple! I hope you enjoy the jelly as much as I do when you come to taste it.
Bunglaze says
Can it be used for a cold pork pie filling.bunglaze
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
I'm not quite sure how you mean. It would make a lovely accompaniment to pork pie instead of Chutney
Joy Bowman says
Thank you so much for this lovely recipe, just trying it for the first time and I'm thrilled how easy it is. Il share with everyone I know .
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
I am so pleased you like it and thank you for sharing. Your comment has made my day.
Eb Gargano says
This looks delicious! I am not sure I've ever eaten apple jelly before...but it's certainly the sort of thing I would enjoy...and what a fab use of a glut of apples!!! (Though as an alternative option you could just give them to my kids who seem to be able to consume as many as I can throw at them!!) Eb x
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
I have one who eats tons of fruit but even he can not eat a whole wheel barrow of apples (and that's just from one tree) Discovery which is the one we harvest first is deliciously sweet but doesnt keep long unless refrigerated.
Cat says
I've never heard of apple jelly before and this sounds lovely! x
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Thank you Cat. Think of it as a variation to the more familiar redcurrant jelly. Yummy!
jenny paulin says
I bet this tastes wonderful. Your jelly is so clear and I love the colour of it too. So many uses for it aswell.
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Thanks Jenny I shall be making more this year
Angela / Only Crumbs Remain says
What a lovely idea Jacqui. I've often made jams & curds though have never even thought about making an apple jelly. Defo popping this on my 'to make list'. Love the idea of using it as a glaze instead of the usual apricot jam.
Angela x
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Thank you Angela. I'm much more likely to have apple jelly than apricot glaze so i find it jolly useful.
Kirsty Hijacked By Twins says
Oh wow Jacqui this jelly sounds amazing. This needs to go on my to try list! Thank you for sharing with #SimplySeasonal x
Jacqueline Bellefonatine says
Thanks kirsty. I love the fact that it is a preserve that works with both sweet and savoury dishes. I often have a dollop on my roast chicken and roast pork now.