Apple harvest : cider and jelly

We always lose some apples to the birds, but we did pretty well with this year's harvest. Maestro and I got to work plucking the apples on Friday. Two and half laundry baskets have been brought in, and my job today is to sort out those for longer storage from those that will need cooking up. Several apples from the lower branches have some kind of spotting on them, but it's only on the skin; everything inside is quite sound. It just means that these will need cooking up.

After cleaning several apples, they've gone through my trusty juicer. Fresh apple juice is so refreshing, and we'll probably indulge in this for a few days. I'm having a go at fermenting 2 litres, though, to make some apple cider.

 I'd been told about Oztops a few months ago. We've been having a go making our own Lambrusco with grape juice, and apple cider using bottled juice from the supermarket. It's a very simple process, only taking 2 days before a brew is ready to drink. Let's hope the home juiced apple cider tastes just as lovely.

 

Using Oztops is so easy. Just add in a little yeast to your juice, then change the lid.  The lid has a small valve that allows excessive gas to escape, so no bursting bottles!








On Wednesday, I decided to take Mariposa berry foraging where it's known that blackberries haven't been sprayed. We came away with almost a kilogram of berries! Yum!! Some were eaten that night with icecream. The remainder was then divided. Half have been frozen, but the other half are now going to be turned into apple and blackberry jelly.



Here's what I've done so far:

Wash and prepare 450g berries, and 8-10 apples to be diced (core and skin still on .. just clean off any blemishes). Thinly peel rind from 2 oranges, then juice oranges. Orange juice and rind is to be added to berries and apples in large saucepan. Add 3 cups of water. Slowly bring to boil and let simmer until fruit is very soft (about 40mins).

Strain off all the liquid using muslin, or as I've done in an old linen teatowel. Don't squeeze the juice out or it will become cloudy.  Measure liquid. Add 3/4 cups of sugar to 1 cup liquid, and boil in saucepan as one would when making jam or jelly.  When at setting stage, carefully pour into sterilised jars.

I'm up to this final stage tonight. After straining the liquid off for almost 3 hours, I can see there's a decent quantity and the most beautiful deep rose colour.  Well, I'd better get to it and finish the job!  I won't have time to do this tomorrow.