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Mint Jelly

Yield : about 4 half-pints

1 cup firmly packed mint leaves

1 cup boiling water

4 cups apple juice(about 3 pounds)

2 tablespoons lemon juice

3 cups sugar

Green food coloring(optional)

To prepare Juice :

Hard Fruits – Apples, Pears, Nectarines, etc. Select top-quality fruit. Wash, remove stem and blossom ends, do not peel or core, Chop or quarter fruit, measure. Add 1 cup water for each slightly heaped quart prepared fruit in a large saucepot. Cover, simmer fruit until soft. Strain mixture through a damp jelly bag or several layers of cheesecloth to extract juice. Juice may be used fresh, canned or frozen for later use.

Soft Fruits – Grapes, Cherries, Berries, etc. Select top-quality fruit. Wash ad steam fruit. Slightly crush fruit or follow recipe guidelines for preparing fruit, measure. Add ¼ to ½ cup water for each quart prepared fruit in a large saucepot. Cover, simmer fruit until soft. Strain mixture through a damp jelly bag or several layers of cheesecloth to extract juice. Juice may be used fresh, canned or frozen for later use.

Note : If juice is to be canned, heat juice just to a boil. Ladle hot juice into hot jars, leaving ¼ inch headspace. Adjust tow-piece caps. Process pints and quarts 10 minutes in a boiling water canner.

To Make Jelly :

Put mint leaves in a bowl, add boiling water, let stand 1 hour. Strain mint leaves, pressing to extract juice. Measure ½ cup mint extract. Combine mint extract, apple juice, and lemon juice in a large saucepot. Add sugar, stirring until dissolved. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Cook to gelling point or until jelly sheets from a spoon. Remove from heat. Skim foam if necessary. Stir in a few drops of food coloring, if desired. Ladle hot jelly into hot jars, leaving ¼ inch headspace. Adjust two-piece caps. Process 10 minutes in a boiling-water canner.