Caramel Apple Jam

Credit to: SpectacularlyDelicious.com. Having looked at a bunch of these recipes, none seemed quite like this one. Add apple pie spices, if you choose.

• Ready In: 31 hrs
• Serves: 128
• Yields: 8 8 oz jars

Ingredients

• 6  granny smith apples
• 6  braeburn apples (or other sweet apple)
• 6  tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1  tablespoon  fruit fresh (a citric acid powder that prevents fruit from browning)
• 3  cups sugar
• 2  cups  apple juice (not cider)
• 1  vanilla bean, split & scraped (substitute 1 grated tonka bean, if possible)
• 2  tablespoons honey

Directions

1. Peel, core and cut the apples into 1″ chunks. Toss immediately with the lemon juice and Fruit Fresh.
2. In a large, heavy preserving pan combine 2 1/2 cups of the sugar with 1/2 cup of apple juice. Cook over medium high heat until the sugar dissolves, boils and turns light brown, a very early stage caramel. This can take 10-15 minutes or longer, depending on how high the heat is.
3. Heat the remaining juice to a simmer and add to the pot with the apples, the vanilla bean and 2 T. of honey. When the apples and juice come to a simmer, pour in the early stage caramelized sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring , for 20 minutes. The sweet apples will break down while the Granny Smith will show her mettle and stay pretty chunky, though the chunks will be nice and soft.
4. Meanwhile, take the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar and a T. of water. Put in a pan and cook over high heat, stirring, constantly, until you have a nice dark brown caramel. Go as far as you dare, being careful to stop short of burning the sugar.
5. Pour the hot dark brown caramel into the apple jam mixture — careful, it will erupt though after a few quick stirs it will meld with the whole.
6. Pour into prepared 1/2 pint jars and process in a boiling water bath for 5 minutes (If your altitude is above 1000 ft = 10 minutes, if over 6000 ft = 15 minutes).