Makes 4–6 small (about 190ml/61⁄2fl oz) jars
Ingredients
- 1kg (2lb 4oz) Bramley or crab apples
- About 1kg (2lb 4oz) mixed blackberries, rosehips, hawberries, sloes, elderberries and rowan berries
- Up to 1kg (2lb 4oz) unrefined granulated sugar
Method
Roughly chop the apples (no need to peel or core them) and pop them into a preserving pan.
Give the berries a once-over, removing any leaves, sticks or stalks. If you’re using rosehips, chop them roughly first (you can do this in a processor), taking care because the tiny fibres they contain are an irritant. Add all these fruits to the apples and add enough water to cover.
Set the pan over a medium–high heat and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer gently for 30–40 minutes, until all the fruit is soft and pulpy. You may need to press the apples with a potato masher to help them along. If at any point the fruit is looking dry, top it up with a little water.
When the fruit is done, take the pan off the heat and allow it to cool while you prepare your straining contraption. The upturned stool method (see photo) works perfectly, but feel free to use a more conventional jelly bag if you have one. Either way, the fruit juice needs to drip through the cloth for several hours or overnight if you like.
Wash your jars and lids in hot soapy water; rinse but don’t worry about drying them. Stand them upside down on a roasting tray while they’re still wet. Pop the tray, jars and lids in an oven heated to 180–200°C/160–180oC fan/350–375°F/gas mark 4–5 for 10–12 minutes, to sterilise them.
Measure out the collected fruit juice and transfer it to a clean preserving pan. For every 600ml (21fl oz) of juice add 450g (1lb) of sugar.
Bring the sweetened juice slowly to the boil, stirring gently for a couple of minutes to dissolve the sugar. When it’s reached a rolling boil, cook for a further 8–10 minutes, but keep an eye on it all the time – you don’t want it to boil over. Use a jam thermometer to check the temperature – for setting point, it should get up to about 104°C/219°F or just a fraction below for a soft-set jelly. Or use the wrinkle test: place a saucer in the freezer for about 10 minutes, then add a teaspoonful of the jelly to the frozen saucer. Leave it for a minute, then press it gently – if it wrinkles, the jelly is ready.
Once you have reached setting point, pour the jelly into the hot, sterilised jars. Seal straight away and allow to cool. Once cool, label the jars and store in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year, or in the fridge once opened.
