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Cinnamon Apple Rings

Source of Recipe

From "Beginner's Guide to Canning" by Diane Devereaux


Recipe Introduction

"These gorgeous red apple rings bring me back to my childhood. My mom would make a batch and use them to decorate her relish trays and serve them alongside our ham at Christmas dinner. Spicy hot syrup is toned down with a touch of sweetness."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 10 cups water, divided
â—¦ ¼ cup bottled lemon juice
â—¦ 30 medium apples, peeled, cored, and cut into ¼-inch rings
â—¦ 3 cups sugar
â—¦ 2 cups distilled white vinegar
â—¦ ½ cup agave nectar
â—¦ 6 cinnamon sticks
â—¦ 1 tablespoon whole cloves
â—¦ 2 tablespoons red food coloring (optional)


Recipe

This recipe is hot packed, so have clean wide-mouth jars resting in hot water. In a smaller pot, add lids and rings, 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar, and water to cover. Boil for 5 minutes, then remove from heat and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine 8 cups of water and the lemon juice to create a citric acid bath. As you slice the apples, place the slices in the bath to avoid browning from exposure to oxygen.

In a large pot, combine the sugar, remaining 2 cups of water, the vinegar, agave, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and food coloring (if using). Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove the cinnamon sticks and discard.

Drain the apple rings in a large colander in the sink. Place the hot jars on a cutting board. Raw pack the apple rings into the jars, stacking them on top of each other, leaving a 1-inch headspace. Using a funnel, ladle the hot syrup over the apples, decreasing to a ½-inch headspace. Remove any air bubbles and add additional syrup if necessary to maintain the ½-inch headspace. Wipe the rim of each jar with a warm washcloth dipped in distilled white vinegar. Place a lid and ring on each jar and hand-tighten.

Place the jars in the water bather, ensuring each jar is covered by at least 1 inch of water. Add 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar and turn the heat to high. Bring the canner to a boil and process pints for 15 minutes. Be sure not to start your timer until the water is at a full rolling boil. After processing, wait 5 minutes before removing the jars from the canner.

Makes 8 pints