Jalapeño Pepper Jelly Is Naturally Bright Red From This Secret Ingredient

Tart Granny Smith apples supply the pectin and cranberries give this spicy jelly its color. Granny Smith apples give this jelly a natural set, so you can skip boxed pectin. You can keep the heat mild by removing seeds and ribs from half the peppers. This refrigerator jelly keeps for up to six months, so a batch goes a long way. We love jalapeño peppers! We use them in so much of our cooking that I’ve taken to evenpickling my own. For the last year I’ve been searching for a recipe for jalapeño jelly that didn’t rely on food dye or commercial pectin, but to no avail. So, with some experimentation, I’ve come up with the following recipe which uses apple jelly made from Granny Smith apples (the tart, green apples) as a base, and cranberries for color. Granny Smith apples (and cranberries too) have plenty of natural pectin, so no additional pectin is needed to make the jelly gel. Why Cream Cheese and Jalapeño Jelly Are Made for Each Other The jelly is great served on crackers with cream cheese because the fat molecules in the cream cheese absorb the hot capsaicin of the jalapeños, reducing the heat, but leaving the flavor of the chiles. This is also why sour cream tastes so good with spicy Mexican food. Sometimes I’ve had it happen that the jelly does pass the wrinkle test on the plate but doesn’t set right away in the jars. If that happens to you, I suggest letting the jars sit. My experience is that they tend to firm up over time. It might take a few days or several weeks. 4poundstart apples (e.g.Granny Smith), unpeeled and uncored, chopped into big pieces 4poundstart apples (e.g.Granny Smith), unpeeled and uncored, chopped into big pieces 6jalapeño peppers,halved lengthwise 6jalapeño

Tart Granny Smith apples supply the pectin and cranberries give this spicy jelly its color.