Wine Jelly Inferno

This hot-sweet jelly makes a beautiful gift with flecks of red and green peppers throughout. Spread it on a cracker with cream cheese, or by itself on French bread.

Yields about 7 x 125 ml jars.

1/2 cup (125 ml) finely minced sweet red pepper, 1 small seeded

2 tbsp (30 ml) finely minced jalapeño pepper, 2 medium seeded

3 dried hot chili peppers, halved lengthwise

1 -1/2 cups (375 ml) sweet white wine (#3-4) or Sauternes

3- 1/2 cups (875 ml) granulated sugar

3 tbsp (45 ml) lemon juice

1 pouch (85 ml) BERNARDIN® Liquid Pectin

• Place 7 clean 250 or 236 ml mason jars on a rack in a boiling water canner; cover jars with water and heat to a simmer (180°F/82°C). Set screw bands aside. Heat SNAP LID® sealing discs in hot water, not boiling (180°F/82°C). Keep jars and sealing discs hot until ready to use.

• Combine peppers, chilies and wine in a large, deep stainless steel saucepan. Cover and bring to a full boil; uncover. Stir in sugar and lemon juice. To reduce foaming, add 1/2 tsp (2 ml) butter or margarine if desired. Over high heat, bring mixture to a full rolling boil that froths high in pan and cannot be stirred down. Stirring constantly, boil hard 2 minutes.

• Remove from heat. Immediately stir in Liquid Pectin, mixing well. Continue stirring slowly 7 minutes to help disperse peppers throughout the jelly.

• Quickly ladle hot jelly into a hot jar to within 1/4 inch (0.5 cm) of top of jar (headspace). Using nonmetallic utensil, remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if required, by adding more jelly. Wipe jar rim removing any food residue. Centre hot sealing disc lid on clean jar rim. Screw band down until resistance is met, then increase to fingertip tight. Return filled jar to rack in canner. Repeat for remaining jelly.

• When canner is filled, ensure that all jars are covered by at least one inch (2.5 cm) of water. Cover canner and bring water to full rolling boil before starting to count processing time. At altitudes up to 1000 ft (305 m), process –boil filled jars – 10 minutes.*

• When processing time is complete, remove canner lid, wait 5 minutes, then remove jars without tilting and place them upright on a protected work surface. Cool upright, undisturbed 24 hours; DO NOT RETIGHTEN screw bands.

• After cooling check jar seals. Sealed lids curve downward and do not move when pressed. Remove screw bands; wipe and dry bands and jars. Store screw bands separately or replace loosely on jars, as desired. Label and store jars in a cool, dark place. For best quality, use home canned foods within one year.

NOTE: Boiling this recipe slightly longer than other jellies evaporates wine’s alcohol (that can interfere with gel formation) and concentrates the unique wine flavour. For a milder jelly, reduce quantity or omit the dried chilies.