APPLE-CRANBERRY PIE and APPLE WEDGES IN CINNAMON RED HOT SYRUP

Apple-Cranberry Pie and Apple Wedges in Cinnamon Red Hot Syrup
Autumn is fast approaching and the canning season will soon be winding down.  This week Olivia and her husband were the lucky recipients of a bushel of apples.  She offered to share and the peeling began!  This weekend she canned apples in a simple syrup.  One jar didn't seal so she made this wonderful apple-cranberry pie she found the recipe for in the Ball Blue Book food preserving guide.  She didn't have dates but did have raisins so she used those.  She said during the final baking she only went about 30 minutes because the pie was getting golden brown, so if you make this, watch the pie.  This pie is so pretty.

The other apple recipe we are sharing is also from the Ball Blue Book.  It is a apples in cinnamon red hot syrup.  I love red hots so this was a no-brainer for me.  See the recipe below and see the beautiful bright red results.  You can't go wrong with either one of these recipes.  I'm thinking the longer the apples sit in the red hot cinnamon syrup the better they are going to be.  This is going to be a yummy winter.
-Nanette

Apple-Cranberry Pie
Makes one 9-inch pie
Crust:
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
¾ cup vegetable shortening
2⁄3 cup cold water
Filling:
2 quart jars Apples for Baking (see recipe below)
½ cup of sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
1⁄8 teaspoon allspice
¾ cup sweetened dried cranberries
¾ cup chopped dates
¾ cup chopped walnuts
1 tablespoon freshly grated orange zest
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
You will need:
Directions:
Crust: Combine flour, sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Cut shortening into dry ingredients using a pastry blender just until mixture is uniformly coarse. Add water
one tablespoon at a time, stirring gently with a fork after each addition. Use just enough water for dough to hold together in a ball. Divide dough into two portions
with one slightly larger. Cover each portion of dough with plastic wrap, refrigerate.
Filling: Drain apples, reserving liquid. Combine sugar, flour, salt, cinnamon and allspice in a medium bowl. Add drained apples and stir gently to coat evenly with
sugar mixture; set aside. Combine cranberries, dates, walnuts and orange zest in a bowl. Stir in two tablespoons reserved liquid from apples; let stand 10 minutes.
To Assemble Pie: Remove dough from refrigerator. Roll out larger portion of dough on a lightly floured surface to 1⁄8-inch thick and 2 inches larger than pie pan.
Place rolled dough into pie pan and gently work the dough to fit pan. Trim edge even with pie pan. Roll out remaining dough to 1⁄8-inch thick and 1 inch larger
than pie pan. Cut steam vents into crust; set aside. Spread cranberry mixture evenly over bottom of pie crust. Spoon the apple mixture evenly over cranberries to
cover. Cut butter into small pieces and place evenly over apples. Center top crust over pie and trim edge allowing ½-inch overhang. Fold edge of top crust under
bottom crust; flute the edge to seal. Bake pie at 450°F for 20 minutes, reduce heat to 350°F and continue baking 40 minutes, or until crust is lightly browned and the fruit is tender.

Apple Wedges in Cinnamon Red Hot Syrup 

1 1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup cinnamon red hot candies

2 cinnamon sticks or two tsps. or cinnamon extract added to the syrup

2 tsp. whole cloves or 1 tsp. ground cloves

1 tsp ground ginger

2 cups water

1 1/2 cups vinegar

2/3 cup light corn syrup

2 tbsp. red food coloring (optional)

24 medium apples, peeled, cored, cut lengthwise into eighths, treated to prevent browning and drained or 8-10 lbs.

Prepare water bath canner, jars and lids.

In a large stainless steel saucepan, combine sugar, cinnamon candies, cinnamon sticks or cinnamon extract, cloves, ginger, water, vinegar, corn syrup and red food coloring, if using. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Add apples and stir gently over medium heat until apples are heated through, about 6 minutes. Discard cinnamon sticks. Turn heat off, but leave saucepan on heating element while filling jars.

Using a slotted spoon, pack hot apples into hot jars to within a generous 1/2 inch of top of jar. Ladle hot syrup into jar to cover apples, leaving 1/2 inch head space. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if necessary, by adding hot syrup. Wipe rim. Center lid that has been heated in warm water on jar. Screw band down until resistance is met, then increase to fingertip-tight.

Place jars in canner,ensuring they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil and process for 15 minutes. Remove canner lid. Wait 10 minutes, then remove jars, cool and store.

Enjoy!