Apple Pie Filling (Allergy Friendly)
Source: www.food.com/recipe/apple-pie-filling-allergy-friendly-507502
Ingredients
- 6 lbs apples (cooking apples- I used Honey Crisp with good results)
- 1 12 cups sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 18 teaspoon nutmeg
- 18 teaspoon cardamom
- 12 cup water
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice (optional, not required for safety)
Directions
- Peel and slice or cube the apples.
- I have always sliced them thinly.
- The main thing is to get them uniform in size so they cook at the same rate.
- (You may also safely leave the peels on, I have just not tried this myself.
- ).
- Place the apples and all the other ingredients except the water into the pan and let it stand and release the juice from the apples.
- If making a double batch, prepare the second batch while the other one is standing -- I have been combining them into a 13qt stock pot and cooking them at the same time.
- I do struggle with even cooking though so you may want to use two pots and cook them separately.
- Prepare your canning jars, lids, rings and canning kettle (canner).
- This can be made with either pints or quarts.
- One recipe will make 5 pints (2.5 quarts) Keep jars and lids warm.
- Add the water to the apples and cook them over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally to maintain even cooking.
- The goal is to stop when they have softened enough to be flexible but not all the way cooked.
- Ladle the filling into the jars, leaving a 1/2 inch (1 cm) headspace.
- Spend some time releasing the bubbles because it is hard to get the air out!
- My latest technique is to use a chop stick to do this.
- Wipe the jar rims clean then seal the jars with your warm lids and screwing on the bands to finger-tip tightness.
- (Just tighten until snug -- don't use all your strength.
- ).
- Process in a water-bath canner for 20 minutes from the point of a rolling boil.
- This time is set for sea level up to 1000 feet.
- If you live in a higher altitude, please do your research and adjust accordingly.
- When the time has expired, turn off the heat and allow the canner to cool for a few minutes before removing the jars.
- This will reduce the amount of siphoning which is when juice oozes from the jars.
- It is still OK if juice oozes -- the jars often still seal.
- You should make it a practice to always remove the rings and wash the outside of your jars before storing them.
- If you give the filling as a gift, you can add a ring to it before giving it away.
- Allow the hot jars to cool on a towel for up to 24 hours.
- If the jars are completely cool and have sealed, you don't have to wait that long to clean and store them.
- If after 24 hours, a jar still has not sealed (lid still juggles up and down when pressed), it is not bad -- but not safe to keep on the shelf.
- Store it in the refrigerator and use within a few weeks.
- When it is time to bake the pie, if you feel like it needs to thicken, add a tablespoon of flour (or thickener that works for your allergies, tapioca flour is another excellent choice) to the filled pie before adding the top crust.
- Note: you can vary the spices to the preference of your family.
- If you are using Granny Smith apples, you may want to increase the sugar to 2 cups per recipe and omit the lemon.
- Note 2: I have made a combination of apple and pear which also turned out great.
- Don't use Asian pears because they aren't acidic enough.
- Disclaimer: PLEASE don't adjust this recipe by adding flour or other thickeners into the jars before canning.
- They can be added just before baking the pie.
- Thickeners change the viscosity of the liquid which changes the ability of the heat to penetrate and could make an unsafe product.