Apple Pie Filling

Source: University of California Cooperative Extension

Makes about 8 quarts.

The best apples for this recipe are firm and crisp types such as Rome, Pippin or Granny Smith. Each quart makes one 8-inch pie.

To use the filling, just pour it into an unbaked pie shell. Add a top crust if desired, and bake the pie at 350 degrees for about an hour.

6 tablespoons Fruit Fresh
4 quarts water
10 pounds apples
1 cup minus 2 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup bottled lemon juice
4 cups granulated  sugar
1/2 cup water

Add Fruit Fresh to 4 quarts of cold water. Wash, peel and core apples. Cut apples into 1/2-inch slices, and drop the slices into the Fruit Fresh mixture as you slice.

In a small bowl, combine the tapioca, 1 1/2 cups sugar and lemon juice. Set this mixture aside.

Drain the apples and place them in a kettle with 4 cups sugar and 1/2 cup of water. Heat the apples to 190 degrees, stirring constantly to prevent sticking. Add the reserved lemon-juice mixture and reheat to 190 degrees F or until the tapioca is clear and cooked.

Sterilize the canning jars and lids according to the manufacturer's directions.

Using a funnel, pack the apple mixture into clean, hot jars, leaving a 1-inch head space. Wipe the jar rims clean with a damp cloth. Put the lids and screw bands in place.

As each jar is filled, place it in a water bath canner filled with boiling water. When the canner is filled, place the lid on the kettle and keep the water in the kettle boiling for 10 minutes. Remove the jars from the canner and place them, lid side up, on a cooling rack. When cool to room temperature, test each one for a seal by pressing the center of the lid. The lid should not flex up and down. If it does, refrigerate the jar and plan to use the contents in a few days. You can remove the screw bands for storage. Store the jars in a cool, dry, dark place for up to a year.

Per 1/2 cup: 116 cal.; 0 g pro.; 30 g carb.; 0 g fat; 0 mg chol.; 0 mg sod.; 1g fiber; 25 g sugar