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Sloe and Crab Apple Jelly


Beardo
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From Ballymaloe Cookery Course by Darina Allen. Sloe & Crab Apple Jelly makes a great accompaniment to lamb, mutton or venison.

 

Makes 2.7-3.1kg (6-7lb)

 

1.8kg (4lb) sloes

1.8kg (4lb) crab apples or Bramley Seedlings (take out any bad bits but the stalk and pips all go in)

Water to cover

Sugar - allow 450g (1lb) to every 450g (1lb) of fruit

 

Method

 

Pick over the sloes and place in a large saucepan. Check the apples for bad bruises, core, cut into quarters or eights and add to the sloes. Cover with water and bring to the boil, cooking until the apples are reduced to a pulp and the sloes burst. Turn the pulp into a jelly bag and allow to drip until all the juice has been extracted - usually overnight.

 

The next day, measure the juice into a preserving pan and allow 450g (1lb) sugar to each 600ml (1 pint) of juice. Warm the sugar in a low oven. Bring the juice to the boil and allow to reduce by about half - about five to six minutes. Add the sugar and stir over a gentle heat until it has dissolved. Increase the heat and boil rapidly for about 15 minutes until the setting point is reached. Pour into sterilised jars, cover and seal immediately.

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I always tend to use the Jam sugar when making my crab apple jelly with whisky. Made it the other year with normal sugar and no matter how long I boiled it for it just wouldn't set. Plus it had a bit of a twang to it. Ended up throwing it away. Jam sugar has the right amount of pectin in it to help set. Could also try gelatine to help achieve a good set.

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I always tend to use the Jam sugar when making my crab apple jelly with whisky. Made it the other year with normal sugar and no matter how long I boiled it for it just wouldn't set. Plus it had a bit of a twang to it. Ended up throwing it away. Jam sugar has the right amount of pectin in it to help set. Could also try gelatine to help achieve a good set.

 

I find it's not so much how long I boil it for, more to do with how hot I boil it. One needs a nice low heat for a long time to fully dissolve the sugar to begin with, admitedly, but once it's there, it needs caning to get it to set.

 

Cue Swiss Tony-style, "Making jam is a lot like making love to a beautiful woman..."

 

I found this out when i first made crab apple jelly and I just couldn't get it there, and ended up reducing it down to about half the volume and carmelising it slightly before it got hot enough to set. It actually tasted pretty good, but it wasn't what I was going for.

 

I used the heaviest-based saucepan/stock pot I could find, but I suspect a specific jam pan would help to get the heat right up without sticking.

 

Even if you can't get it to set - slightly runny jelly is wonderful as a glaze for chicken and pork, or as a dipping sauce (with lots of chilli and garlic) for prawns... :ninja:

 

LS

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