Glorious Crabapple trees are now in full flower in Toronto. The trees, which will produce bitter little apples in the Fall, have the sweetest Spring blossoms. Crabapples are members of the Rosaceae family of flowering plants, which includes apples and roses. The blossoms are white, light pink, mauve pink, deep pink, and carmine. Some trees have flowers with five petals, while the semi-double blossoms have six to ten petals, and the double blossoms more than ten petals. The double blossoms look like roses.
How did something so pretty ever get the moniker, "crab" apple? It may be derived from the Scottish word, scrab, or scrabbe, which in turn may have come from the Old Norse, and later Swedish word, scabba for, "fruit of the wild apple tree". Or, perhaps it has to do with how people, "crab on" about the sour, bitter taste, after they've bitten into a rock-hard little apple.
Don't let the wicked taste of the raw fruit fool you. They are a heavenly delicacy! Crabapple Jelly on a buttered, toasted English muffin, with a thin slice of Cheddar cheese is delicious. Spiced Crabapples, served alongside a Roast of Pork are divine.
The tiny apples are packed with pectin, the natural thickener that makes jelly gel. Unlike other fruit jelly and jam recipes that call for adding pectin, Crabapple's come fully loaded. Unripened Crabapples have more pectin, while ripened apples have more flavour. You can tell the difference by cutting one open, and looking at the seeds: an unripened Crabapple will have light coloured seeds, while a ripe apple will have dark brown seeds. One recipe says to provide the right balance between pectin and flavour, have about a quarter of the apples unripened, and the other seventy-five percent ripened.
It will be late September, before the Crabapples will be ready for harvest. Meanwhile, anytime is a good time to read a recipe or two. In researching on-line, I found two simple recipes for Crabapple Jelly and Spiced Crabapples. One uses sugar, while the other uses honey. Crabapples are often spiced with cinnamon and cloves, and I found one recipe which uses cracked cardamom seeds. Between now and Autumn harvest, you'll probably come up with the perfect recipe for the little apples. It will also give you time to read up on the do's and don'ts of simple home canning.
It will be late September, before the Crabapples will be ready for harvest. Meanwhile, anytime is a good time to read a recipe or two. In researching on-line, I found two simple recipes for Crabapple Jelly and Spiced Crabapples. One uses sugar, while the other uses honey. Crabapples are often spiced with cinnamon and cloves, and I found one recipe which uses cracked cardamom seeds. Between now and Autumn harvest, you'll probably come up with the perfect recipe for the little apples. It will also give you time to read up on the do's and don'ts of simple home canning.
Crabapple Jelly
6 Pounds (2.72 Kg) Crabapples
4 1/2 Cups (900 grams) Sugar
6 Cups (1.4 L) Water
Thoroughly wash the Crabapples. Remove only the stems and blossom ends of the Crabapples. The pectin is found in the apple peel and core, so do not peel or core the apples.
Place the apples in a large pot, and cover them with the water. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the apples are softened.
Use a potato masher to crush the apples. Cook for another 5 minutes.
This recipe instructs us to wet, and wring out a jelly bag and suspend it on a frame, over a large measuring cup or bowl. I had to Google it, to see what the heck they were talking about. Other recipes simply say to use a colander or strainer, lined with damp cheesecloth, and place this over a large bowl. Fill the jelly bag, or cheesecloth liner with the cooked apples.
At this point, read a book, go for a walk, watch a movie, or go to bed, because it takes a minimum of two hours - even overnight - for all of the juice to drip into the bowl. You may be tempted to squeeze the juices out of the jelly bag. It will certainly extract more flavour, however, if you want crystal clear jelly, it's best not to squeeze the juices out. Your kitchen, your call!
Measure out 6 1/2 Cups (1.62 L) of juice. If there isn't enough, you can add up to 1 1/2 Cups (375 ml) of water to the juice.
In a large pot, bring the juice and sugar to a full rolling boil over medium heat. It will take about 15 to 18 minutes for the juice to reach gel stage. Remove from heat, and skim off any foam.
Fill hot, sterilized 1 Cup (250 ml) jars. Leave 1/4 inch (5 mm) space at the top of the jar. Cover with sterilized lids, and screw the bands on. Boil the filled jars in boiling water for 10 minutes.
Use tongs and oven mitts to remove the hot jars from the canning bath, and set them on a kitchen towel. Over the next few hours, you'll hear the soft,"ping" sound of the lids sealing. Music to your ears!
That's it!
The recipe for Spiced Crabapples is even easier...
Thoroughly wash the Crabapples. Remove only the stems and blossom ends of the Crabapples. The pectin is found in the apple peel and core, so do not peel or core the apples.
Place the apples in a large pot, and cover them with the water. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the apples are softened.
Use a potato masher to crush the apples. Cook for another 5 minutes.
This recipe instructs us to wet, and wring out a jelly bag and suspend it on a frame, over a large measuring cup or bowl. I had to Google it, to see what the heck they were talking about. Other recipes simply say to use a colander or strainer, lined with damp cheesecloth, and place this over a large bowl. Fill the jelly bag, or cheesecloth liner with the cooked apples.
At this point, read a book, go for a walk, watch a movie, or go to bed, because it takes a minimum of two hours - even overnight - for all of the juice to drip into the bowl. You may be tempted to squeeze the juices out of the jelly bag. It will certainly extract more flavour, however, if you want crystal clear jelly, it's best not to squeeze the juices out. Your kitchen, your call!
Measure out 6 1/2 Cups (1.62 L) of juice. If there isn't enough, you can add up to 1 1/2 Cups (375 ml) of water to the juice.
In a large pot, bring the juice and sugar to a full rolling boil over medium heat. It will take about 15 to 18 minutes for the juice to reach gel stage. Remove from heat, and skim off any foam.
Fill hot, sterilized 1 Cup (250 ml) jars. Leave 1/4 inch (5 mm) space at the top of the jar. Cover with sterilized lids, and screw the bands on. Boil the filled jars in boiling water for 10 minutes.
Use tongs and oven mitts to remove the hot jars from the canning bath, and set them on a kitchen towel. Over the next few hours, you'll hear the soft,"ping" sound of the lids sealing. Music to your ears!
That's it!
The recipe for Spiced Crabapples is even easier...
Spiced Crabapples
5 Pounds (2.26 Kg) Crabapples
6 Cups (1.4 L) Water
1 3/4 Cups (595 g) Honey
3 Cinnamon Sticks
Clean the apples, and remove only the stems and blossom ends. Leave the pectin-rich apple peel and core intact. Prick the apples, so that the Honey Cinnamon Syrup can be absorbed. The pricking will also help prevent the apples from splitting open.
In a large pot, dissolve the honey into the water, add the cinnamon sticks, and simmer on the stove for 5 minutes. Add the apples, and simmer for another 5 minutes.
Put the poached Crabapples in sterilized glass jars, and fill with the syrup. Leave about 1/2 inch (1.27 cm) of space at the top. At this point, some recipes say to use a spoon or chopsticks to release any airbubbles in the jars. Cover each jar with a sterilized lid, and screw the band onto the jar. Place the jars in a canning bath, and boil for 20 minutes.
Using oven mitts, and tongs, remove the hot jars from the canning bath, and set them on a kitchen towel. While waiting for that lovely, "ping" sound, make pretty labels, and take pictures of the glistening jars of Spiced Crabapples.
As my Dad used to say, how do you like them apples?
1 3/4 Cups (595 g) Honey
3 Cinnamon Sticks
Clean the apples, and remove only the stems and blossom ends. Leave the pectin-rich apple peel and core intact. Prick the apples, so that the Honey Cinnamon Syrup can be absorbed. The pricking will also help prevent the apples from splitting open.
In a large pot, dissolve the honey into the water, add the cinnamon sticks, and simmer on the stove for 5 minutes. Add the apples, and simmer for another 5 minutes.
Put the poached Crabapples in sterilized glass jars, and fill with the syrup. Leave about 1/2 inch (1.27 cm) of space at the top. At this point, some recipes say to use a spoon or chopsticks to release any airbubbles in the jars. Cover each jar with a sterilized lid, and screw the band onto the jar. Place the jars in a canning bath, and boil for 20 minutes.
Using oven mitts, and tongs, remove the hot jars from the canning bath, and set them on a kitchen towel. While waiting for that lovely, "ping" sound, make pretty labels, and take pictures of the glistening jars of Spiced Crabapples.
As my Dad used to say, how do you like them apples?
Crabapple blossoms last only a week or two, but you can make a lasting impression with this bodycon dress and matching draped kimono, both now available in my Art of Where on-line shop!
http://bit.do/AOWbodycon
http://bit.do/drapedkimono
Photographs Copyright of: Ruth Adams, Widow's Endorphins Photographic Images Incorporated.
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