Apples are the most popular fruit all over the globe. A lot of legends and myths are connected with this food. In Greek and Roman mythology, it was a symbol of love and beauty. Nowadays it’s associated with hospitality and friendship.  Every year, Applefest is held in  the U.S., England, and Canada.

This fruit is so popular because of its numerous health benefits. The high fiber content helps to reduce the risk of health disease. It controls the levels of blood pressure, LDL, and HDL cholesterol. Fruits help to prevent dementia. They have a positive effect on cognitive function. If you are prone to diabetes or cancer, you should include apples in your diet. A high fiber intake prevents these diseases. Moreover, it’s the best choice when it comes to weight control.

Yet, the residents of the northern areas are not able to savor apples all year round. To yield, apple trees need warm temperatures and sunlight. Fresh samples you can find in the supermarkets are not always of good quality. They may contain pesticides or even GMOs. Yet, you should not deny yourself the pleasure of eating so useful crops. Thanks to apple preserves, you are able to follow a balanced and healthy diet 12 months per year.

• Canned sweets

It’s possible to can the whole or sliced crops. You need the following ingredients: sugar or stevia, water. The first thing you should do is to select proper apples. It’s better to choose sweet varieties. Otherwise, you have to add too much sugar. Gala or Pink Lady are good variants.

Before coring and slicing the  crops, it’s necessary to prepare them. The first step to take is to wash apples in plain cold water. After it, you may start peeling the samples. You can do it by hand or with the help of special peelers. Moreover, some housewives prefer to can apples without peeling, coring and slicing them. It’s up to you to choose the most appropriate way.

The next step is to blanch apples. To do it, you have to place crops in the pot, add boiling water, juice or syrup, and boil for 5 minutes. Don’t forget to stir the products! The final stage is filling jars, pouring them with liquid, and the water bath.

• Freezing

Everyone knows that it’s possible to freeze strawberries. Yet, it’s quite an unusual way to preserve apples for winter. You may freeze the whole fruits, slices or pie filling. You need to freeze samples on the cookie sheet and only after that transfer them to freezer bags. To prevent browning, you may dip crops in lemon juice. 

• Jam

To make a tasty jam, you have to peel and chop products, place them in a saucepan, add sugar and cider. You need to cook jam over medium heat for about 15 minutes stirring the substance. Then you should add fruit pectin and continue cooking until the substance becomes thick. After it, you can pour the jam into jars. To conclude, it’s worth mentioning that apple preserves are the best sweets you can savor in winter. They are healthy and delicious.