Apple Peel Jelly

When I first got my apple peeler Pary Moppins {who is truly perfectly practical} suggested I try making apple peel jelly.  That "appealed" to this frugal girl.  {I'm sorry.  That was bad, but I couldn't resist.}    

Last week I made apple crisp for a church dinner.  I had gobs of peels and cores left over, and decided to give apple peel jelly a try.

Ingredients:

Apple peels and/or cores

Lemon juice

Fruit pectin

Sugar

Water

Optional: hard cinnamon candies or one cinnamon stick

Directions:

Pack approximately 5 cups of apple peels and/or cores into the bottom of a 5 qt. pot.  Cover with 5 1/2 cups of water.  Bring to a boil and then lower heat allowing the peels to simmer for 15 minutes.

Squeeze a little lemon juice (about 1 Tbsp.) over the apple peels and cover the pot.  Leave overnight.

The following day strain the liquid (I used a cheesecloth) into a bowl.  Discard peels/cores.  Measure 5 cups of juice into pot and add 6 Tbsp. low sugar pectin.  Dissolve pectin and then bring to a boil.  Add 2 cups sugar and return to a hard boil for one minute.  Pour into sterile jars and process 10 minutes in a hot water bath.

Variations:

*Add a cinnamon stick to apple peels and water to soak overnight for a light cinnamon flavor.

*For a bright red color and a warm cinnamon kick dissolve 4-5 hard cinnamon candies in the strained liquid before adding pectin.  This jelly has a candy apple flavor.

Even my non-jelly eaters liked the original recipe, and the cinnamon varieties are a fun change on morning toast.

Thank you for the suggestion Pary Moppins!  Apple peel jelly truly is perfectly practical {and delicious}!

Linked to: Delicious Dishes at It's a Blog Party
                 Tasty Tuesday at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam