What to do with all our apples?

[EmmaStone]

We've got 2 small but very high bearing Apple trees in our garden, and one seems to be a particularly early breed, we're already getting good apples from it. But I've got 2 bowls full of apples, have already made a crumble (with the copious amounts of rhubarb are garden also bears us!) yesterday. My kids 'don't like' cooked apple stuff, and I'm supposed to be counting calories at the moment 😭.

I'll be giving lots of apples away, and will make chutneys in the autumn, but wondered what your favourite apple recipes are, would be nice to mix things up. 😀

I love making apple butter and eating lots of crumbles. Apple freeze really well, so you can make crumble over the whole year!

Thanks Lua, I did think about making and freezing apple sauce, but do you freeze the chopped up? Peeled?

And don't even get me started on what I'm going to do with 3 trees' worth of crabapples 😂

And don't even get me started on what I'm going to do with 3 trees' worth of crabapples

Cider

Watch Baby Boom.

Join a cider co-operative.

Try this recipe: www.mybakingaddiction.com/crock-pot-slow-cooker-apple-butter-recipe/

I put it into hot jam jars when it's still hot, screw the lids on and it seals as it cools down (lid pops in and won't come out). Keeps in the cupboard for months and months. I eat it in porridge or with yoghurt. It would also go on bread or croissants, rice pudding etc. I don't add the salt.

Also try drying apple in the oven? I've done that before and it is shelf stable in lunch boxes for a few weeks.

• I boil down apples- just roughly chopped with skins, pips and all and a touch of water. Strain overnight through a pillow case, jelly bag or muslin. Dont squeeze or it will be cloudy. Use the pectin as a base for chilli jelly, rosemary jelly, mint jelly etc. Seal in jars like you do for jams/chutneys. All go really well with cold/hot meats or cheese.

• Puree the apples and freeze

• Check with a local animal sanctury/petting zoo/stables etc. Sometimes they can use the apples for the animals.

I did jokingly suggest finding a cider co-op (we do live in Somerset after all...)

Thanks for the suggestions, keep em coming! 😁

Pork and apple burgers www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/pork-apple-burgers

Meatballs realfood.tesco.com/recipes/apple-and-pork-meatballs.html

Toad in the hole realfood.tesco.com/recipes/toad-in-the-hole-with-apple-and-rosemary.html

Add to flapjacks
Slices of apple in a toasted cheese sandwich are delicious
Toffee apple cake

We have cold stewed apple on cereal for breakfast. Otherwise Tarte Tatins (OK, high in calories but we all need a treat after lock-down).

Apple snow

Take the best ones and store them, they keep in a dry airy place for ages, months. Just check them now and again.

Thank you for all these great ideas, they're all noted! With my first lot of useable windfall apples, I've made a batch of 'apple pie filling', which is basically softening chunky slices of peeled and cored apples with butter, a little water, sugar, cinnamon and a bit of corn flour to firm it up. It's absolutely delicious with Greek yoghurt or ice cream, and super simple to make (and freeze in batches).

Last year we took our apples to an apple pressing place- they juice it, pasteurise it and bottle it. We are still drinking it - it has kept really well.