ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — This apple pie jam comes with more than a recipe — it comes with a backstory three generations long.

“My mom taught me to make jam, and her mom taught her,” said Kathy Klingerman of Sophie Ann’s Jams and Things.

“I think of her every time I make jam,” Klingerman said. 

Her grandmother’s name was Velma Schneider, and Klingerman has photos of her in her 1940s Ohio farmhouse kitchen. 

Her mom, Norma Klingerman, kept the recipes alive. 

And now Klingerman, along with Jean Colton, her partner of 31 years, honor these family matriarchs with Sophie Ann’s Jams and Things.

You can catch them at the Green Thumb Festival in St. Pete, April 29 — 30.

Sophie Anne’s Apple Pie Jam (Yield: Approx. 9 half-pint jars)

Ingredients:

  • 6 cups diced apples. It’s best to use a variety of apples (Fuji, Gala, Honey Crisp, Pink Lady, etc. — at least 3 varieties).
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 3 cups granulated white sugar
  • 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
  • 1 box low-sugar pectin (or 1/3 cup bulk pectin)
  • 1/4 cup sugar

Instructions:

  • Peel and slice the apples.
  • Place in a clean dishpan or large stainless bowl full of water, with a bit of lemon juice to prevent discoloring.
  • After all the apples have been peeled, dice them into small pieces, about 1/8 inch.
  • Measure out 6 cups of apples into a stainless steel pan, preferably one with a flat bottom.
  • Add water to almost cover the apples, add spices, lemon juice.
  • Mix pectin with 1/4 cup of sugar in a small bowl.
  • Stir into apple mixture, mix thoroughly.
  • Cook over medium to medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until it comes full rolling boil. A rolling boil is one that doesn’t stop when you stir it. 
  • Add remaining sugars, white and brown, stir well and bring back up to a full rolling boil for EXACTLY one minute. 
  • Do not stop stirring once it starts to boil.
  • Remove from heat and skim off any foam with metal spoon.
  • Ladle immediately into prepared jars, filling to within 1/4 inch of tops.
  • Wipe jar rims and threads. 
  • Place lids on jars. Screw on bands tightly.
  • Place jars on elevated rack in canner.
  • Bring the water in the canner to a full boil. Boil jars for 10 minutes. 
  • At the end of 10 minutes, turn the canner off (if using an electric canner), or turn the burner off. 
  • Let the water settle, then remove the jars from the canner. 
  • Be sure to turn off any fans, and make sure there are no drafts, as cool air can cause it to crack and/or explode.
  • As the jars are cooling, the lids will ping, indicating that they have sealed.
  • You will notice that the center of the lid is now concave.
  • Once the jars are completely cooled, test to be sure they’ve sealed by tapping on the center of the lid with a fingernail. A jar that is sealed will have a nice "tink" sound.
  • A jar that hasn’t sealed will ‘thunk’ (although sometimes a jar will ‘thunk’ if some jam is stuck to the inside of the lid).
  • Any jars that haven’t sealed can be placed in the refrigerator.