ROSIE'S BLOG
  • Jammy Bloggers
  • Instructions
  • Gallery

Mince Pies Anyone?

25/10/2016

0 Comments

 
With the glut of cooking apples all around there is no better time to get making some mincemeat. 'Oh I just buy my pies in Tesco Rosie' you cry - 'no need for mincemeat - all that faffing about, I don't have the time.'

If this is how you feel, I would urge you to think again. Home made mincemeat is nothing like shop bought and it also keeps for at least two years once made so you don't even have to make it every year! I like the tradition of it though, children back to school, everything settles down and then you can get the mincemeat made first, before the Christmas cake and the Christmas pudding. There, I've said it. Christmas. It won't happen again.

(It is, actually, the perfect thing to make with the children during half term and then they can help with making the mince pies when they finish school at Chmn*h@lh )



Picture
If you don't like the dark unctiousness of the traditional mincemeat Pam Corbin has a very different but delicious recipe for a mincemeat based on plums. This is a two day process, mix one day, cook the next.

PLUM & RUSSET MINCEMEAT


Makes 4 x 450g jars
I kg plums
Finely grated zest and juice of 2-3 oranges
500g russet apples, peeled, cored and chopped into 1 cm cubes
200g currants
200g raisins
200g sultanas
100g orange marmalade
250g demerara sugar
half tsp ground cloves
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp grated nutmeg
50ml ginger wine or cordial
100g chopped walnuts
50ml brandy or sloe gin

Wash, halve, and stone the plums and put into a saucepan with the orange juice. Cook until tender then blend in a liquidiser until smooth or push through a sieve. You should have around 700ml of puree.

Put into a large bowl and add all of the other ingredients except the brandy. Mix together then cover and stand for 12 hours.

Preheat your oven to 130 deg C, put the mincemeat into a heatproof baking dish, and bake uncovered for 2 - 21/2 hours. Stir in the brandy or gin then pot up into warmed, sterilised *jars. Remove any air pockets with a knife or skewer, then seal immediately.

Store in a cool, dark place until Christmas and then use within one year.


* I like the 12oz Oval jars for mincemeat - they look pretty if I want to give some as a gift - or the Dodec is very smart as well.
Picture
0 Comments

APPLES - PART TWO

20/10/2016

0 Comments

 

Lots of apple recipes to try with the children during half-term

As you know I was speaking and demonstrating at Brogdale Farm last weekend - the home of the National Fruit Archive.

It was a lovely day and the facilities and presentation at Brogdale were superb - if you have a chance to visit I urge you to do so.

With over 2000 varieties of apple let alone all of the other types of fruit it is quite mesmerising to look around and I was quite glad we were concentrating just on the apples!

Picture
I took along lots of ideas for making preserves with apples - apple curd, cordial, juice, leather, dried apple rings amongst others. If you would like to try making some of the things with your children during the school holidays you can download the recipe sheet here. ( Scroll down to page two for the recipes )
I would love to hear any of your favourite apple recipes - I'll post the best here - if I get any!

This week I have a special holiday discount code for you to use for any products on the lovejars.co.uk website - just enter APPLES10 at the checkout for a 10% reduction. Have fun!

0 Comments

APPLES - JUST WHAT THE DOCTOR ORDERED

13/10/2016

0 Comments

 
It is that special time of year when there are apples everywhere, especially cooking apples. We have a large old Bramley tree in our garden and it is so tall that we just have to wait until the apples fall and then use them as soon as possible.
Picture
When I was a little girl apples were not available all year round - I know, what kind of crazy is that? Apples,like everything else, were seasonal, so most families would store as many as they could, for as long as they could. We had a cellar, and my father would set up old doors on trestle tables. My parents knew how long each variety would keep for, in the right conditions, and the apples would be set out in rows - not touching - in order of use. Cooking apples would be kept separate and any that were bruised were picked over and bruised bits cut out. We had pies and crumbles, made blackberry and apple jam, and any remaining would be bottled for later.

We had to check the stored apples regularly and any that were deteriorating were removed and used immediately - maybe stewed to eat with our morning porridge.One thing we never made - but I am certain that we would have done if we had known that you could - was fruit leather.
Picture
It is very simple to do - prep cooking apples by taking out the core and and removing any bruised or damaged bits. Apple leather is ideal for using up windfalls. Chop the apples, including the skin, and place in a large pan with a small amount of water, to prevent sticking.

Cook the apple until soft and then leave to cool - it needs to be put through a food processor/liquidiser, and if you do this when still very hot then it may splash out through the lid.Process until smooth and there are no big bits of peel left.If you don't have a processor then just push the pulp through a sieve, you probably won't be able to sieve all of it but do your best.

Picture

Now, I have a dehydrator, and because it is for work, I got the biggest I could find. It has nine oblong trays and I have never regretted buying it. The one I have is probably a bit over-sized for most homes but there are plenty of smaller ones to choose from. I spread the pulp onto silicon paper in a thick layer and then set the timer for about 8 hours. Follow the instructions with your own machine. You can also put the paper onto baking trays and place in the oven on the lowest possible setting. Leave over night and assess in the morning whether or not the leather is dry enough or needs a little longer. Funnily enough, it will be like leather! It will easily peel away from the paper and I then roll it up like a swiss roll, before slicing across ready for storing. I keep some in a clip top jar for the grand children when they visit.

Picture
Picture
The leather keeps indefinitely if kept dry and cool and is ideal for taking on walks, for climbers, campers and sailors - and very healthy for children. Do not be tempted to add sugar or honey as it is hydroscopic and will attract moisture. I love making the labels for the packets  - 'ingredients: apples'.

That is the miracle of food preservation.

I shall be at The National Fruit Archive, Brogdale Hall, Faversham this Sunday. It is their annual Apple Day and there will be lots of fun activities for all ages. I shall be doing one of the talks in the kitchen so do come along and say hello if you are there.
Picture
0 Comments

    Rosie Jameson

    Wife
    Mother
    Nanny
    Working to preserve preserving

    GALLERY
    RECIPES
    JARS

    Archives

    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    January 2020
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    April 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    January 2014
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012

    alldishes.co.uk

    Categories

    All
    Apple Pear Plum Jam
    Apples
    Apricots
    Basil
    Beeswax
    Beeswax Furniture Polish
    Beetroot
    Blackberry & Apple
    Blackcurrant-jam
    Blackcurrants
    Brussels Sprouts
    Candied Peel
    Carrots
    Cherries
    Chickens
    Chilli-jam
    Chinese Style Plum Sauce
    Citric Acid
    Classic Fruit Collection
    Classic Vegetables Collection
    Cordials
    Courgettes
    Cucumbers
    Dalemain Mansion
    Dan Lepard
    Defra
    Eggs
    Elderflower Cordial
    Elderflowers
    Fiery Bengal Chutney
    Gift Cards
    Giftwrap
    Ginger
    Ginger Cordial
    Gooseberries
    Greengage Chutney
    Greengage Jam
    Greengage Leather
    Greengages
    Greengages In Eau De Vie
    Herb Jellies
    Herbs
    Herb Salts
    Herb Vinegars
    Jam And Similar Products (England) 2013
    Jam Consultations
    Jam Jar Shop
    Jam Making
    Jam & Preserves Calendar
    Jam Regulations
    Jarcessorise
    Ketchup
    Kiwi Fruit
    Lemon Curd
    Lemon & Dill Mustard
    Lemon Vinegar
    Limes
    Limoncello
    Mango Chutney
    Marmalade
    Marmalade Awards
    Master Classes
    Mincemeat
    Mobile Recipe Site
    Mustard
    Mustard Balls
    Mustard Seeds
    Pam Corbin
    Passata
    Pears
    Pesto
    Piccalilli
    Pickled Eggs
    Pickled Sprouts
    Pineapple
    Plum Jam
    Plum Sauce
    Posters
    Pressure Canning
    Quince
    Raspberries
    Raspberry Jam
    Ratatouille
    Recipes For Mobile
    Red Cabbage
    Rhubarb
    Roasted Tomato Passata
    Rosie Makes It Easy Clubs
    Salad Cream
    Seville Oranges
    Soft Fruit
    Strawberries
    Stuffed Cucumbers
    Sugar
    Sugar Debate
    Sugar Ratios
    Summer Frocks Collection
    The Big Feastival
    The Still Room
    Tomatoes
    Vivien Lloyd
    Waterbath
    Waterbathing
    Wedding Favours
    Winter Fruit Compote

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly
  • Jammy Bloggers
  • Instructions
  • Gallery