Pickled Crab Apples

4 lbs crab apples
6 cups sugar
4 cups vinegar
2 cups water
4 tbsp whole cloves
1 tbsp whole allspice
2 tbsp stick cinnamon, broken into pieces

Select ripe, firm crab apples, uniform in size. Wash, remove blossom ends but not stems. Prick skins well with a fork. Combine sugar, vinegar, water and heat to boiling. Add spice tied loosely in cheese cloth bag and boil 5 minutes. Add apples, a few at a time. Simmer gently until tender, being careful not to burst the fruit. Pack while hot into sterilized, hot jars, covering fruit with syrup. Seal at once.