When the caramel has fully dissolved once again, remove the pot from the heat and add the brown sugar, apples, and optional spices to the pot of caramel. It may spatter and harden again, but less distinctively than when you added the water in the step above.
Return the pot to medium [medium-high] heat and stir constantly until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture comes to a vigorous-but-gentle boil.
Boil, uncovered, stirring frequently, for 25-30 minutes,** or until the jam darkens and thickens considerably and a good half of the apples have softened into pulp. If you spoon a bit of the jam onto a frozen plate, it should firm up within a minute or two, remaining only slightly runny at the borders.
Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the optional booze and vanilla.
Ladle the hot jam into your hot, sterilized, canning jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Wipe the jar rims clean. Add the lids and screw bands so that the lids are securely in place but the bands aren't over-tightened.
Process these filled jars in a covered boiling water bath for 10 minutes, only starting your timer when that water bath has returned to a rolling boil.
Remove the jars from the canner and cool them completely on wire racks before labelling.