APPLE RECIPES
If you’re anything like us, come October you will have droves of friends knocking on your door, laden with bags and baskets brimming with green, gold and ruby red apples, trying to fob off their most recent crop! There’s nothing like the beauty of an apple tree, however, sometimes the long-awaited, abundant harvest can be a little overwhelming!
When it comes to our native Wild Apple (or ‘crabapple’) large harvests can be especially daunting to deal with as they are different to the commercial apples we see in the supermarket - wild apples are smaller, sharper and softer than their modern cousins. Here are our favourite ways to make the most of your apple crop this autumn.
APPLE SAUCE
Possibly the easiest (and most effective) way to reduce your excess apples is to make applesauce! This is a great addition to a Sunday roast, but also makes a healthy alternative to sugar in traditional baking! All you need to do is core your apples and put them in a large pot filled with water. The ratio of apples to water is 1 cup of water to every pound of apples you use! Simmer for 20 - 25 minutes (until the apples are soft), drain the juice and blend the apple mixture. Add sugar if necessary, and then pot into sterilized containers! The sauce can be stored in the fridge or frozen for future use!
TOFFEE APPLE
A perfect Halloween treat! The tart flavour of crabapples makes them perfect partners with delectable toffee. For the topping, combine 400g of sugar with 100ml of water in a heavy bottomed pan. Heat until the sugar dissolves and stir in 1 tsp of vinegar and 4 tbsp of golden syrup. Heat the mixture until a temperature of 150oC is reached - then dip your apples and place them on a lined baking tray to cool. Eerily delicious, and a great addition to a Halloween kids party!
APPLE CRISPS
These snacks are amazing if (like us) your partial to a sweet treat during the day! Slice (without coring) your crabapples into rings roughly the depth of a 2p coin. Dust lightly with cinnamon and arrange on a grill (you can pack them quite tightly as they’ll shrink in the cooking process). Grill on a medium heat for 10 minutes, flip, and repeat. You’ll end up with some tangy and delicious apple crisps!
To purchase a Wild Apple tree gift, click here.
