Cranberry Rum Sauce

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups water
1 (8-inch) cinnamon stick, broken
6 whole cloves
1/8 teaspoon mace
8 cups cranberries
4 medium apples, peeled, cored and diced
1/2 cup golden rum

In a non-reactive Dutch oven, combine sugar and water. Tie cinnamon pieces and cloves in a cheesecloth bag; add to pot along with mace. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until sugar dissolves. Add cranberries and apples. Simmer gently 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until cranberry skins start to break.

Add rum and simmer 10 minutes. The mixture should be thick but cranberries should retain some of their shape. Remove spice bag. Ladle sauce into hot sterilized jars. Wipe jar rims thoroughly. Seal. Process for 10 minutes in a boiling water bath.

Sauce may also be frozen for up to 1 month without processing.

Yield: 6 cups