“Every Rosh Hashanah, my grandmother, who lived in Athens, made my favorite apple jam and mailed it to us in New York. When my husband and I got married in Greece during September, she lovingly prepared 400 small jars as wedding favors for our guests!”

— Sharon Benmayor
Member of the Jewish community in Athens, Greece

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Ingredients

  1. 5 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and grated to yield approximately 3 ½ cups, loosely packed
  2. 1 ¹/3 cups water
  3. 1 cup sugar
  4. Handful of raw, peeled almonds (optional)
  5. 1 tbsp. lemon juice
  6. 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, simmer water and sugar for 10 minutes until sugar is completely dissolved.
  2. Add the grated apple and stir well until it comes to a boil, then reduce to medium heat.
  3. Add the almonds, if using, and continue to boil gently for about 45 minutes. Stir occasionally at first, then frequently, until the mixture becomes jam-like and a spoonful holds its shape on a chilled plate.
  4. Add the lemon juice and vanilla extract, and stir over low heat for another few minutes.
  5. Spoon into a clean jar, seal, and allow to cool before storing in the refrigerator.