What to do with glut of apples - falling & wasp damaged :-(

[ReadytoOrderSir]

Can I freeze dessert apples? The wasps and other beasties have had a field day and all my lovely pink apples are holed and falling already. Almost none are intact for storage so I have to use them ASAP.

Or any good recipes ...?

[loveliesbleeding1]

Also having this problem, so I hope you get an answer I can pinch!

[Wiifitmama]

We picked bags full from a tree and made apple and chilli jelly, apple cakes, apple pie, cooked some down and froze for future use, oven dried apple slices.

The possibilities are endless!

[ReadytoOrderSir]

Ooh - had to look up apple and chilli jelly, but that looks amazing! I used to make apple & sage or mint jellies but have since lost the herb patch. I've still got the jelly bag somewhere ... I'm off to hunt for jars now!

Thanks!

[Liara]

I'm planning on doing the mincemeat for christmas with my excess apples. Apparently you can bottle it and it keeps very well.

Apple juice is also always a winner around here.

[Capitola]

I am feeling guilty after reading Wiifitmama's post.

We have 5 apple trees and a pear tree and I am going out every day and filling buckets with fallen apples and pears and putting them straight into the brown bin.

I need to start making stuff.

[valiumredhead]

I just stew them and freeze them for crumble, apple sauce etc.

[purplewithred]

Brilliant in the compost bin mixed with grass clippings and paper shreddings.

[Rhubarbgarden]

My windfalls go in the compost.

[BlueChampagne]

Blackberry and apple jam
Offer on freecycle
CIDER ...

[dandydorset]

just done mine

some for pies and crumbles

some for apple sauce,all in the freezer now

[primigravida]

Stewed apples is always good and freezes well. Is there a community harvesting group for your area on facebook? In the city I live in there is a group that picks fruit for food-banks and schools in poorer communities.

[pollywollydoodle]

hairy bikers curried apple and butternut squash soup...delicious!

[loraflora]

I'd stew and freeze them. Yum, crumbles and pies for a few months.

[flamingtoaster]

We've been making batches of chutney - it's delicious - www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2646/classic-apple-chutney

[Jux]

I chop them into chunks and freeze them. They seem to keep forever! When defrosted, I cook them, but I think they'd be OK to eat as they are. Apple snow on Xmas Day, mmmmmmmm

[blibblibs]

Don't bin them! I stick mine in a tub outside the house so the neighbours can enjoy them too

[bigwellylittlewelly]

I'm unsure if these are for dessert or cooking apples but we make apple and ginger jam (use it on your Christmas cake for extra kick), apple muffins and apple tart and freeze, stewed apple and freeze, we also slice and dry in a cool oven.

We also used to take boxes into work and the contents would vanish!

[Jux]

We are going to have a glut this year too. We'll freeze some, but we're going to do a 'help yourself' box outside, too.

[Pounamu]

I usually make apple sauce, but try to take it off the hob before all the apples break down, so there are still a few lumps. I leave out the sugar too, that way you can use it for savoury with pork, or sweet with blackberries etc... in a pie/crumble/sponge.

Just don't do what I did a few weeks ago with the first lot of apples off our tree - I stewed them, then stored in one of those preserving jars with the flippy lid and the orange rubber ring seal. About 4 days later the seal exploded and sent apple sauce all over my kitchen! I think it didn't help that the jar, although completely clean (and I thought sterilised), had previously homed a sourdough starter and still had a bit of a sourdough smell.

[sis]

The apple butter recipe here is great if you have a slow cooker

[LottienHuw]

You could make fruit leather, its lasts ages, well it would if the children would stop eating it www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fallrecipes.com%2FRecipe%2FFruit-Leather%2F&h=mAQFB-5JZ

[Talkinpeace]

freeze bags of cooked apple - turnovers / crumble / pie / sauce : right through the winter

and pears

nearly as good as cannonball tomatoes (freeze whole from raw - dip into boiling water up to 4 years later to take the skin off : cook) nom nom

[MrsMangoBiscuit]

We are having the same problem, so I've stewed lots down, with cinnamon and sultanas, and frozen it in batches for pies and crumbles. The next lot I rescue from the lawn will be getting chopped up, thrown in a big kilner type jar with lots of cinnamon, and covered with vodka! I'll strain it just before christmas for lovely golden apple and cinnamon vodka. Mmmm.