2 1/2 Cups Frozen Wild Blueberries, Thawed
1/2 Cup Unsweetened Applesauce
1/4 Cup Black Cocoa Powder 3 Cups Granulated Sugar
1/4 Cup Lime Juice
1/4 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
2 (3-Ounce) Packages Liquid Pectin
About 1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar, to Coat
Place both the Wild Blueberries and applesauce in your blender or food processor, and thoroughly puree. Pause to scrape down the sides of the bowl every now and then, until the mixture is completely smooth. Add in the cocoa powder and blend briefly to combine.
Transfer the puree into a medium pot with high sides, along with sugar, lime juice, and cinnamon. Though it may seem like a lot of sugar, don’t forget that this is candy we’re talking about, and the pectin requires a certain amount of sugar to set properly. Whatever you do, do not attempt to reduce the amount or swap it for a different sweetener!
Stir well and bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. While that comes up to temperature, line a 9 × 9–inch square baking pan and lightly grease it in preparation for the finished candy.
Once boiling, add in the pectin, mix thoroughly to incorporate, and stir while the mixture boils for a full 10 minutes. Continue scraping the bottom and sides of the pot with your spatula to make sure that nothing is sticking and burning. Remove from the heat and pour the liquid candy into your prepared pan. Allow that to come to room temperature before moving the pan into the fridge. Let chill until set, at least 2–3 hours, before cutting into bat shapes using a small cookie cutter.
Toss the bats in granulated sugar and store in an airtight container. Kept away from moisture and in a cool place, the bats should last for 1 – 2 weeks, if they aren’t devoured before then.
