Crab Apple Jelly

Ingredients:

• Freshly gathered crab apples
• 1lb/450g sugar per 1 pint/568ml of juice.

Note: You will need a steamer for this recipe. We have a number of suitable options which can be found here.

Method:

1. Cut freshly gathered crab apples in half and load them into the fruit basket of the steamer.
2. Steam, according to the manufacturer's instructions, for about ¾ - 1 hour.
3. Decant the extracted juice into a measuring jug; once measured transfer to a jam pan.
4. Add 1lb / 450g of sugar per 1 pint / 568ml of juice and stirring well; bring gently to a rolling boil.
5. Boil rapidly for about 10 minutes, or until setting point is reached.
6. Pot into clean, hot jars and seal immediately.

Try it with Herbs!

You can make a variety of herb flavoured jellies by adding either finely chopped herbs directly into the boiling juice or for a flavoured clear jelly, by tying the herbs in muslin and adding, as a bouquet garni, to the juice during boiling.

Herbs like mint, sage, thyme and bay make excellent accompaniments to crab apple jelly and are delicious served with meat dishes or used to enrich sauces and gravies.