Rosehip and crab apple jelly 1

2017 is proving to be a phenomenal year for fruit so far.  We’re making the most of it and  continuing with making jellies and jams.  This time it’s a rosehip and crab apple jelly.

You might want to take a look at this post on different edible fruits and jellies that are common in the British Isles.

Ingredients

• 450g of rosehips
• 900g of crab apples
• 1kg of sugar

How to make rosehip and crab apple jelly

• Put the crab apples in a heavy bottomed pan and cover with water

• Bring to the boil and simmer until the crab apples are soft
• Cut up the rosehips (you could put them in a food processor to save some time) and add them to the pan

• Simmer for another 10 minutes

• Pour the whole lot into a bowl and mash briefly
• Pour the mixture into a jelly bag and let it drain into a bowl overnight

• Pour the juice into a jug and add the same volume of sugar

• Put it back into your heavy bottomed saucepan and simmer until the sugar has dissolved

• Take the saucepan off the heat and test the mixture (drop a small dollop onto a cold saucer; if it crinkles then the mixture is ready)
• If the mixture is ready, ladle it into jars, otherwise boil for another couple of minutes
• Let the mixture cool slightly and pour into sterilised jars*.

*To sterilise the jars, wash them in cold water and place them upside down in a cold oven.  Set the temperature to 160ºC, and turn the oven on.  Once it gets up to temperature, the jars are ready.  Remember to use a tea towel oven gloves when you handle the jars.

We make this on our 1 day autumn foraging course as well as our 2 day autumn forage; you can see plenty of photos from those course here and also on our Facebook page.