Crab-Apple Hot Pepper Jelly

2 lb crab apples (1 kg)
1 1/2 cup water
1 red wine vinegar
3 3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup sweet green peppers
1/3 cup hot peppers
Crab apple pectin gives a good set to this hot pepper jelly. Mix and
match hot peppers for colour and degree of heat. Banana peppers range
from piquant to medium-hot. Cherry peppers and long, skinny green
chili peppers are fiery. (Original recipe indicated 1 cup of hot
peppers - recommend 1/3 cup if using fiery variety).
When chopping hot peppers, wear gloves and don't touch your face or
eyes.
In Dutch oven, combine apples with water. Cover and bring slowly to
simmer; cook until apples are very soft. Pour into colander lined
with square of dampened muslin and placed over deep bowl. Weight down
with saucer and heavy can. Let stand until dripping stops. Discard
pulp.
Pour collected juice into liquid measure; add enough vinegar to make 3
cups. Combine in saucepan with sugar. Bring to boil, stirring. Add
peppers; boil briskly for 8-10 minutes or until set (*). Stir for 7
minutes to prevent floating peppers.
Pour jelly into hot, sterilized 8-oz sterilized preserving jars. Seal
with two-piece canning lids. Let cool and refrigerate. For long-term
unrefrigerated storage, process in boiling-water bath for 5 minutes
immediately after sealing jars.
Makes six 8-oz jars.
(*) to test for set: remove pan from heat, dip cold metal spoon into
liquid and hold well above steam. Turn spoon sideways and let liquid
run off; when it forms two drops that run together and drip from edge
of spoon, jelling point is reached.