Sunday, March 4, 2012

Canning apple pie filling

Me and apples go way back. My mother has made croustade aux pommes (apple crisp) since I can remember, and apple picking was a yearly field trip for us, where we came back with so many bags, we just knew we were going to eat delicious apple-themed meals for the next couple of weeks. The first thing that I made for Jeff (my husband) was an apple pie, and he later proposed to me in an empty apple tree field. The smell of apples filled the church when we were married. In short, I love apples.

And I especially love apple pie. I feel like an old-school 1950's wife, baking a pie for her husband, and for me that is an awesome feeling. But sometimes its hard to take the time to make a pie from scratch, and I am the first to admit that canned pie filling is quite convenient. But I would never ever eat a pie made with a filling bought in the stores because a) they taste so gross and b) theyre ingredient list is quite frightening. So here I am, trying to make the perfect apple pie filling that I can can (I love doing that). Here is what I have come to so far.

Here are some basic explanation for canning, if you don't know how to do so.


First, you need about 6.5 lbs of apples. Don't go by the number of apples, because size is subjective. Peel them apples (and don't worry about it if there is a little peel left, its no biggie. I have a friend who actually makes her entire pies with un-peeled apples, and although texturally different, it was still pretty tasty. And arguably, higher in vitamins) Core them and slice them into desired thickness, for me an eight sliced apple is perfect.


Pack the apples as tight as they fit within a 1ltr jar (or quart jars if you've got American stuff). After you add each apple, shake the jar a little to settle the apples within the space. Leave a whole inch and half of space.

Next comes the syrup making fun. On the stove, wisk 2 cups of white sugar and 2 cups of brown sugar, 3 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp of cloves, and 1/4 tsp of allspice together. I know the sugar level is scary, but that is why pie is, in my house at least, a special treat. The spices are also high because we like it spicey, but feel free to fine tune both the sugar level and the spices to your own liking. Next, add about 8 cups of hot water and stir until sugar is disolved on low heat. Bring to ebulition, then add 1.5 more cups of water with 3 TBSP of lemon juice, and 1 cup of cornstarch. Stir or whisk quickly. When the cornstarch has been completely incorporated (i.e. no more white) ladle the syrup slowly over the packed apple, and don't forget to leave an inch of headspace!



Warning, this will be a messy step. If your anything like me, you will need to wipe not only the inside rim, but the outside rim and indeed the whole darn jar as well as the counter.


Use a plastic knife (or other non metal instrument) to pop all those silly air bubbles, and this unfortunately makes tons of them so watch out. Process for 20 minutes. And bam, 6 liters of apple pie filling. One jar equals one 8 inch pie. Using this recipe, I personally found that there was a bit too much syrup so I just spooned out a few tablespoons when I upended a jar the next day over a pie plate. I also use this over ice cream, in pancakes, over my yogurt, etc. The possibilities are endless. Enjoy!




I swear I look like this when I cook.

15 comments:

  1. Awesome, will use this recipe next time! You need one of these I think: http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/8/KitchenBath/KitchenStorage/Canning/PRD~0421914P/Canning+Funnel.jsp?locale=en so useful!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I also found it a bit too sugary for my taste, but J loved it. I have two or three funnels but the syrup was too thick to properly go through the funnel and spread onto the apples, it really recquired a slow ladle, I just needed a smaller laddle lol!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I need a canning workshop. Will do dishes and mop floors for a canning workshop. Mid-Easterners don't really can. Anything out of a can is considered a blasphemy (unless it's tuna during the fasts). A can of anything is met with a tut or gasp of disdain : "....but why when you could make it FRESH!"

    They just don't get it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes maybe a Leek Geeks meet n greet canning party in the summer!

      Delete
  4. Can you PLEASE ALSO SHOW US your apple crisp recipe!! PLEASE

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Me or Amy? AH WE SHOULD HAVE AN APPLE THEMED WEEK OR SOMETHING!

      Delete
  5. Also--Im not a fan of cornstarch. The consistency really turns me off, especially in pie. Do you think there's something else I could use? Or do you think it's ok to omit the stuff altogether?

    ReplyDelete
  6. Sam I never use cornstarch in pies. All it does is make the pie sort of solid when you slice it up. Without it, the fruit filling kind of oozes out a bit, which is fine with me.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I also never use the cornstarch in regular fresh pies, I just dont know how to make the syrup to preserve the apples in without it. I will try some other things out and see if it works out and let you know! I have never ever seen my Greek grandparents can anything in my life either, I guess they never had to in the land of always sunny weathers (or so)!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well when I can apple pie filling I use cooked apple pieces, and I use different kinds of apples - some that mush more and some that remain firm - and mix the sugar and spices and so on right in the pot - and then ladle it into the jars to can. If you wanted to raw pack apple pieces as in your recipe above, you could make a syrup mixture with the sugars, water, and some apple sauce to get you up to the volume you needed. I also use unpeeled apples.

      Delete
    2. I tried that but I found the pie filling was way too close to mush, it was not enjoyable for me in any case. I figured the applesauce will be canned as applesauce, and apple pie filling needed to be distinctly texturally different.

      Delete
  8. oh my goodness. At some point in life I need to try this. Not sure, I'm there yet. I love this blog ladies! I feel inspired- but very, very intimidated! LOL

    ReplyDelete