Rowan and Apple Jelly

Jar of wild rowan jelly from a foraging course

An aesthetically pleasing and clear jelly, with an enchanting flavour. This is a classic recipe with a wonderfully, bitter-tang which needs rediscovering. I love it on toast, though traditionally it is served alongside lamb or game.

Rowan and Apple Jelly recipe

Makes 1 jar

Ingredients

500 g rowan berries
500 g apples
675 g golden granulated sugar (approx)

Basket of rowan berries on a foraging course in Cornwall

Cluster of rowan berries and leaves from a foraging course

Cut the rowan berries of the stalks and cut and apples into chunks. Place both in a small saucepan and add enough water just to cover them. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the fruit break down to a soft pulp. To make a clear jelly, strain through a jelly bag into a clean bowl and leave to drip through over-night.

Measure the juice, and for every 25 millilitres, add 20g of sugar. That’s 80g of sugar for every 100 millilitres, 800g for one litre. Add both the liquid and the sugar into a saucepan and stir over a medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. Increase the heat and bring to the boil, scraping off any scum to rises to the surface and allow the jelly to reach setting point (105°C on a jam thermometer). This normally takes at least 10 minutes on a rolling boil. Alternatively, place a saucer in the fridge, and after 10 minutes drop a teaspoon of the liquid onto the saucer. If the jelly is ready, after a few minutes, if you push the edges of the jelly is will wrinkle slightly. Clear into sterilised jars and seal for up to one year.