Monday 21 October 2013

Apple and orange jam

We are lucky to have several mature apple trees in the garden. Two of them are really old, and every year I send my silent thanks to whoever planted them. The old owners are long gone but the trees keep bringing pleasure to us, with the glorious blossom and bountiful harvest. This year I picked several boxes of apples, leaving more than a half on the trees, as they are too high up for me, and I am not good on the ladders. Eddie helped me to pick the windfalls, and we have been enjoying apple crumbles and cupcakes for weeks.



I love apple-based chutneys and jams, and last week made a batch of apple and orange jam.



Apple and orange jam
Ingredients:
2kg apples (not too sweet)
1.8kg sugar
0.8l water
1 lemon, juice and rind
2 oranges, juice and rind
1 cinnamon stick
Wash the apples and chop them without peeling. Keep all the bits, pips and all, they will be your source of pectin. In fact you don't need to use the preserving sugar or pectin at all. Juice the lemon and oranges and peel the rind. Again, don't throw the pips. Put the chopped apples in a big pan with the juice and rind, the cinnamon stick and all the bits. Pour the water and cook until the apples are very soft and resemble the chunky apple sauce.
Take a sieve and rub the apple mix through it, discard the rind, the apple skin and pips at this stage.
Pour the sieved apple sauce into a pan, add the sugar. Slowly bring to the boil, then simmer for about 10 minutes. On a small plate test a spoonful of jam for setting.
Once the jam sets, pot it into the sterilized jars.

I got over 11 different sized jars of jam. As you can see from the photos below, the jam is very thick in consistency, as I mentioned before, there was no need for any preserving sugar.

This jam is lovely in sweet pirozhki and jam tarts. Or spread thick on a slice of toast.














16 comments:

  1. you are SO lucky to have apple trees, that's one thing we're lacking here at the cottage... I adore apple jelly, so fab with meats and cheese!

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    1. Thank you Dom! I love apple jelly and will probably do some as well, but I still have some jars left from the last year's batch, I made way too many, and even with giving the away had lots for us to eat all.

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  2. Great recipe, I must try it out as I'm a big fan of apple jelly and would not have thought of adding orange to it. :)

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    1. Thank you Laura! Last year I also added cloves to the apple jam, this year I completely forgot about them, only realised when it was all done.

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  3. Mm yummy. I love homemade jam. Really need to start making some again, i always used to make a lovely raspberry and strawberry jam! If you ever need a taste tester im more than happy to oblige!

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    1. A raspberry/strawberry jam sounds wonderful. Hope you get inspired to make more jam

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  4. The last time I tried to make Jam, it didn't quite set correctly. I think I'll have another go at this recipe.

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    1. This jam is really thick, I have opened a jar the other day, you can almost cut it with a knife.

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  5. Mmm yummy! I love jam - so do the kids - so might have a stab at this recipe! Thanks!

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    1. Jams are wonderful, and perfect with a cup of tea

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  6. Pam Francis Gregory23 October 2013 at 09:57

    Just made some blackberry & apple jam - Was wondering how to use rest of apples - Think will try this! Thanks for the inspiration.

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    1. Blackberry & apple is such a great combination, isn't it?

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  7. This jam looks lovely Galina, I particularly like 'thick', jelly like jam such as this. I have been making all kinds of jam and jelly myself lately, and one thing I always avoid is adding commercial pectin or preserving sugar. There is just no need too as you say, if you get a little help from apples! My latest creation is persimmons and apple (cachi over here as you know!), and I'm still making quince jelly using your recipe (some mixed with pomegranate). So much tastier than shop bought and there is no end to the mixture of flavours than can be obtained. I'm tempted to use your apple jelly recipe here with lime, mmm.

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    1. Bruna, your jam sounds delightful! Would love a recipe. Love persimmons.

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  8. I'm really sorry about the delay in getting back to this post, sorry Galina. I used a recipe that I found on Cookaround (Italian). 2 kg of persimmon, 1kg sugar, the juice of 1 grapefruit and 1 apple. Wash, cut and mash the persimmon, skin on, in a heavy pan with the apple and grapefruit juice. Bring to the boil and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Pass through a sift,still piping hot, then back into the pan. Add the sugar and stir until it melts, then increase the heat and boil as you would with any jam. Not having a themometer means it's the 'cold plate test' for me!

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  9. I love my apple tree. It's not very old yet so doesn't bear much fruit, but certainly enough for some crumbles and pies!

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