Hot crab apple and chilli jelly recipe
Posted by Fiona Nevile in Hedgerow food, Jam Jelly and Preserves | 113 comments
Everyone seems to be talking about chillies. They are said to trigger “feel good” endorphins and are packed with vitamin A, an immune system boosting antioxidant. Chillies improve the digestive process too as they stimulate the action of the intestine and stomach.
This year I was determined to make crab apple and chilli jelly. My first attempt was so so. There was a chilli tingle when I tasted the juice. I chucked it away. My recipe from Oded Schwartz’s Preserving added 3-4 medium heat chillis. Are these desseded? I’d used three desseded ones. A long foray on the Internet offered no clues. Chop and add your chillis seemed to be the line. So when I simmered my crab apples and chillies a couple of days ago, I left the seeds in. The result was a tasty juice with just the sort of kick I wanted. Hot but not hellish.
Hot crab apple and chilli jelly recipe
Ingredients:
- 600g of crab apples washed and chopped
- 35g of medium red chilli peppers, washed and chopped with seeds in
- 1 litre of water
- White granulated sugar 500g to each 500ml of juice
Method:
- Put the chopped crab apples and chillies in a large heavy bottomed saucepan.
- Add 1 litre of water (they should just be floating). Bring tp the boil and simmer until the crab apples soften and become pulpy (lid on). This took about 45 minutes.
- Strain through a muslin square or jelly bag overnight. (Retain the pulp to make hot crab apple and chilli cheese)
- Add the juice to a large heavy bottomed pan and add the sugar. Bring slowly to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. When the juice and sugar has come to the boil remove from the heat and skim well. Return to the heat and bring to a rolling boil until setting point is reached. This took 15 minutes.
- Skim and pour into warm sterilised jars. Oded Schwartz adds a chilli (stalk removed and split once lengthwise) as the jelly is setting. I really wanted to set chillies in the jelly but be warned this is a nightmare. The jelly needs to be setting firmly otherwise the chillies gently float to the surface again, and again and again. I made two jars with chillies and abandoned the rest.
- Update: Following Sarah’s tip (see comments),I added two firey dried chopped chillies to the jelly. Marvellous.
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Hello
Just found this site & think its fantastic. The receipes are so simple & tips/tricks from others are great to read. First time at jam/jelly making. I made the Blackberry & Apple jam it was sooooooo simple. I’m going to give the Crabapple & Chilli jelly a go tomorrow.
Thanks
Hi Katie
Veronica is spot on. It goes well with all things made with eggs. It also is great with cheese and nut or lentil bakes. Great with cauliflower cheese too. Very versatile.
Hi Veronica
Thanks very much for your input. I’m planning to make masses of crab apple/apple chilli jelly this year as it was a big hit wit everyone.
Love your idea on your blog of teaming it up with scallops!
Hello Cathy
Just read your blog. I’m impressed by the speed with which your tree matured to fructulence! Hope that the jelly works well for you too.
I’m thrilled to find you recipe here and the one for the herb jam.
I just came in from the crabapple tree. I decided to harvest it on the equinox because that seemed right. The apples were jumping off already, and they’re very bright and sweet -tasting.
I plan to make a plain crabapple jelly and then do a batch of your chili jelly. I’m excited.
Thanks for your site. I look forward to exploring more later tonight when my feet are tired from cutting up the apples.
I’m not Fiona, but I find it goes really well with anything eggy, such as frittata or omelette. Or with potatoes.
Can you recommend any veggie recipes that this jelly will go with? I made ALOT and have since given some to veggie friends. thanks 🙂
Hi Kate
Yes you can use cooking apples for this recipe. We do have a apple chilli recipe too. It’s here https://www.cottagesmallholder.com/?p=501
Hi,
Can I use ordinary cookers instead of crab apples for this recipe. Already made mincemeat and planning on chutney but have so many apples to use up!
Tremendous recipe belying its simplicity. We have an ornamental crabapple in a tub that was full of fruit and have had a ready supply of home grown jalapeno chillies and dried apache chillies.
I couldn’t resist tasting the pulp on the first mix (with a little sugar!) and found it to be absolutely superb.
An ideal accompaniment to pork that has been roasted using slivers of garlic and cloves in the fat (drooling at the thought!).
I used 1 fresh, medium jalapeno and 1 dried apache, both seeds in on my first mix using the quantities suggested.
Many Thanks.
Richard
This is brilliant, Amanda. Delighted.
Thank you for your tips. Success at last! Tommorrow I’m going to try apple and herb jelly and plum jam.