Instructions

1. Sterilise jar(s) by washing well, drying and baking in a moderate heat oven for 20 minutes – be careful – leave to cool.
2. Put chopped apples, 500ml of water and the lemon juice into a large saucepan and cook until the apple turns to mush. Be careful not to let it catch on the pan bottom by stirring intermittently.
3. Strain the apple mush through a jelly bag, clean muslin or old clean cotton tea towel (it will stain so don’t use one you are attached to). Leave overnight. Do not be tempted to squeeze to get more juice as you will not get a clear jelly.
4. At this stage you will end up with cloudy juice which you need to measure.
5. Put juice in a large clean saucepan, add jam sugar (measure 100g for each 100ml of cloudy apple juice) and whole fresh chilli pepper.
6. Bring slowly to the boil – this is where the cloudy mixture suddenly clears like magic! Boil until a jam thermometer reaches 217-22 F / 103-106 C, as per jam making or until a small spoon of the mixture forms a wrinkle on a cold plate from the freezer when you push it with your finger.
7. Remove the whole chilli and discard seeds, add chopped flesh back to the jelly to taste (I use about 1/2).
8. Pour jelly into still warm sterile jars, seal, label and store. Refrigerate when jars have been opened otherwise can be stored in a cool cupboard or larder. Enjoy with roast pork, gammon or with cold meats and cheese.

If you are a garden owner or volunteer and have a recipe you’d like to share with us please email [email protected]

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