Food for free - go out picking wild blackberries and and hedgerow apples.
Ingredients
As many blackberries as you picked
About twice as many (by weight) of apples
Use wild apples, but Bramleys would also be delicious You need an apple with a tang, rather than a dessert apple.
Method
Wash the blackberries, to remove dirt and insects. Remove any that are over-ripe.
Wash the apples and cut out any rotten bits. Chop them into quarters or eighths. There's no need to peel or core the apples.
Put all the fruit into a large pan and cover. Simmer gently for up to an hour until the apples are soft.
Pour the fruit mixture into a jam net, suspended over a large bowl. Leave overnight for the juices to drip into the bowl.
Next morning: measure how much juice you have got. For each 600ml of juice, add 450g of sugar to a large pan.
Bring to the boil and continue to boil gently, stirring regularly, for 10 - 15 minutes.
Test whether the jelly is set by dipping a frozen teaspoon into the pan and removing it. If, after a few seconds, the consistency is looking "jam-like", then you're probably there. Don't boil for more than 15 minutes.
Sterilise some jars by washing them and then drying in an oven at 100 deg C for 30 minutes.
Pour the jam into the hot jars. Cover and leave to cool. Be careful when filling the jars. You might find a funnel useful.Wipe up spills immediately, because this jelly has incredible staining power when hot and liquid.
Bramble & Apple Jelly
Go straight back to your childhood with this recipe, when you've been out picking wild blackberries and apples.
Ingredients
As many blackberries as you picked
About twice as many (by weight) of apples
We used wild apples, but Bramleys would also be delicious
You need an apple with a tang, rather than a dessert apple, which would make this too sweet
Method
Carefully wash the blackberries, to remove dirt and any visiting insects. Remove any that are over-ripe.
Wash the apples and cut out any rotten bits. Chop them into quarters or eigths.There's no need to peel or core the apples.
Put all the fruit into a large pan and cover. Simmer gently for up to an hour, until the apples are soft.
Pour the fruit mixture into a jam net, suspended over a large bowl. (You may need to get creative for this!). Leave overnight for the juices to drip into the bowl.
Next morning: measure how much juice you got. For each 600ml of juice, add 450g of sugar to a large pan.
Bring to the boil and continue to boil gently, stirring regularly, for 10 - 15 minutes.
Test whether the jelly is set by dipping a frozen teaspoon into the pan and removing it. If, after a few seconds, the consistency is looking "jam-like", then you're probably there. Don't boil for more than 15 minutes.
Sterilise some jars by washing them and then drying in an oven at 100 deg C for 30 minutes.
Pour the jam into the hot jars. Cover and leave to cool.
Time From Cupboard-To-Table
Night before - about 10 minutes' preparation time Next day - about 20 minutes, including cooking
Notes & Variations on Bramble & Apple Jelly
Be careful when filling the jars. You might find a funnel useful.
Wipe up spills immediately, because this jelly has incredible staining power when hot and liquid.
