Having washed your crab apples, (which should be full grown,)
cover the bottom and sides of your preserving kettle with vine
leaves, and put them in; spreading a thick layer of vine leaves
over them. Fill up the kettle with cold, water, and hang it over a
slow fire early in the morning; simmer them slowly, but do not
allow them to boil. When they are quite yellow, take them out,
peel off the skin with a penknife, and extract the cores very
neatly.. Put them again into the kettle with fresh vine leaves and
fresh water, and hang them again over a slow fire to simmer, but
not to boil. When they have remained long enough in the second
vine leaves to become green, take them out, weigh them, and allow
a pound and a half of loaf-sugar to each pound of crab apples.
Then after the kettle has been well washed and wiped, put them
into it with a thick layer of sugar between each layer of apples,
and about half a pint of water, for each pound and a half of
sugar. You may add the juice and yellow peel of some lemons. Boil
them gently till they are quite clear and tender throughout. Skim
them well, and keep the kettle covered when you are not skimming.
When done, spread them on large dishes to cool, and then tie them
up in glass jars with brandy papers.