PREPARING AND USING SYRUPS FOR CANNING FRUIT

Adding syrup to canned fruit helps to retain its flavor, color, and shape. It does not prevent spoilage of these foods. The guidelines for preparing and using syrups (Table 1) offer a new "very light" syrup, which approximates the natural sugar content of many fruits. The sugar content in each of the five syrups is increased by about 10 percent. Quantities of water and sugar to make enough syrup for a canner load of pints or quarts are provided for each syrup type.

Procedure: Heat water and sugar together. Bring to a boil and pour over raw fruits in jars. For hot packs, bring water and sugar to boil, add fruit, reheat to boil, and fill into jars immediately.

Other sweeteners: Light corn syrups or mild-flavored honey may be used to replace up to half the table sugar called for in syrups. For more information see Canned Foods for Special Diets.

Table 1. Preparing and using syrups.
		Measures of Water and Sugar
Syrup Type	Approx. % Sugar	For 9-Pt Load (1)		For 7-Qt Load		Fruits Commonly packed in syrup (2)
		Cups Water	Cups Sugar	Cups Water	Cups Sugar
Very Light	10	6-1/2	3/4	10-1/2	1-1/4	Approximates natural sugar levels in most fruits and adds the fewest calories.
Light	20	5-3/4	1-1/2	9	2-1/4	Very sweet fruit. Try a small amount the first time to see if your family likes it.
Medium	30	5-1/4	2-1/4	8-1/4	3-3/4	Sweet apples, sweet cherries, berries, grapes.
Heavy	40	5	3-1/4	7-3/4	5-1/4	Tart apples, apricots, sour cherries, gooseberries, nectarines, peaches, pears, plums.
Very Heavy	50	4-1/4	4-1/4	6-1/2	6-3/4	Very sour fruit. Try a small amount the first time to see if your family likes it.
This amount is also adequate for a 4-quart load. Many fruits that are typically packed in heavy syrup are excellent and tasteful products when packed in lighter syrups. It is recommended that lighter syrups be tried, since they contain fewer calories from added sugar.

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Spiced Crab Apples

Ingredients
4-1/2 lb crab apples
4-1/2 cups apple vinegar (5%)
3-3/4 cups water
7-1/2 cups sugar
4 tsp whole cloves
4 sticks cinnamon
6 1/2-inch cubes fresh ginger root

Yield: about 9 pints

Preparation: Remove blossom petals and wash apples, leaving stems attached. Puncture the skin of each apple four times with an ice pick or toothpick. Mix vinegar, water and sugar and bring to a boil. Add spices tied in a spice bag or cheesecloth. Using a blancher basket or sieve, immerse one-third of the apples at a time in the boiling vinegar/syrup solution for 2 minutes. Place cooked apples and spice bag in a clean 1- or 2-gallon crock and add hot syrup. Cover and let stand overnight. Remove spice bag, drain syrup into a large saucepan, and reheat to boiling. Fill pint jars with apples and hot syrup, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Adjust lids and process jars as described in Table 1.

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Applesauce

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Pear Sauce

Pear Sauce - Pear sauce is great when needing a mild flavored sauce to mix with other flavors. Make cooked pear puree by putting through food strainer or mill. Add sugar to taste. Reheat to simmering (185-210 F.) and pack leaving ½ inch headspace. Process in boiling water canner, 15 minutes for pints and 20 minutes for quarts. After processing, take canner off heat. Remove lid and wait 5 minutes before removing jars.

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Apple Wedges in Cinnamon Red Hot Syrup