I spotted this recipe in the Mendip Times during a recent visit to Somerset. A Mendip version of recipe created by John the Chef from Fernhill Farm.

We haven’t made it yet, but if you do please let us know what you think of it!

Ingredients

• 80g dried mixed exotic fruit
• 55ml brandy
• 30g light brown sugar
• 1/2tsp mixed spice
• 100g butter
• 6 braeburn apples – cored
• 200g greek yoghurt – to serve

Method

1. Heat oven to 2150′c. Place the exotic fruit and brandy in a bowl and leave to soak overnight. After soaking add sugar, spices and butter
2. Spoon the fruit mixture into the holes of the cored apples, pressing in to fill well, spread some more butter over the apples.
3. Place the stuffed apples into an ovenproof dish, cover with foil and bake for 40 mins in over. Remove the foil and bake for 15 mins further, until the apples are soft, but not collapsing.
4. Place onto place and serve with yoghurt.

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 2 pints of chicken stock
• 1 pint of cider or apple juice
• 340 g potatoes
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 chorizo, sliced
• 1 tsp majoram
• 1 tsp salt
• black pepper to taste
• 100 ml double cream
• 1 kg of potatoes

Method

Simmer peeled potatoes and chicken stock together with the cider until chicken is tender. Puree in blender.

Slow roast sausage, chill, then blend in food processor, not too fine. Add sausage to soup mixture.

Sweat onion in veg oil until tranlucent. Add paprika and and stir for a further 3 minutes. Add to soup mixture.

Add cream to soup mixture.

Simmer 1kg of diced potato in salted water until tender. Drain and rinse and add to soup mixture.

Serve with crusty bread.

Serves 4 – 6 people

Ingredients

• 750ml Cider
• 500 ml orange juice
• 500 ml cranberry juice
• 250ml lemon juice
• 125ml apple brandy or similar
• 2 teaspoons sugar to taste
• 1 orange sliced and diced
• 1 lemon sliced and diced

Method

Blend the ingredients all together in a large mixing bowl or jug, and serve with ice cubes. Salut!

I’m pleased to say during our recent visit we tried one or two at Cold Hollow cider mill in Vermont! Heres the recipe so you can try them too.

Ingredients

2 red apples, such as Cortland or Macintosh
2 1/2 cups apple cider
3 1/2 cups all-pourpose flour, plus more for dusting
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
3 tablespoons vegetable shortening
1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
Vegetable oil, for frying

Method

Core and coarsely chop the apples (do not peel). Combine with 1 1/2 cups cider in a medium saucepan over medium heat; cover and cook until softened, about 8 minutes. Uncover and continue cooking until the apples are tender and the cider is almost completely reduced, about 5 minutes. Puree with an immersion blender or in a food processor until smooth. Measure the sauce; you should have 1 cup. (Boil to reduce further, if necessary.) Let cool slightly.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, salt and nutmeg in a medium bowl.

Beat 2/3 cup granulated sugar and the shortening in another bowl with a mixer on medium speed until sandy. Beat in the egg and yolk, then gradually mix in the applesauce, scraping the bowl. Beat in half of the flour mixture, then the buttermilk and vanilla, and then the remaining flour mixture. Mix to make a sticky dough; do not overmix.

Scrape the dough onto a lightly floured sheet of parchment paper and pat into a 7-by-11-inch rectangle, about 1/2 inch thick. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Meanwhile, make the glaze: Simmer the remaining 1 cup cider in a small saucepan over medium heat until reduced to 1/4 cup. Whisk in the confectioners’ sugar until smooth and glossy, then set aside. Mix the remaining 1 cup granulated sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon in a shallow bowl; set aside for the topping.

Heat 2 inches of vegetable oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 350 F. Line a baking sheet with paper towels. Cut the chilled dough into 12 rounds, using a floured 2 1/2- or 3-inch biscuit cutter, then cut out the middles with a 1-inch cutter (or use a doughnut cutter). Slip 2 or 3 doughnuts at a time into the hot oil and fry until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes per side, adjusting the heat as needed. Transfer to the paper towels to drain.

Dip one side of each doughnut in the cider glaze, letting the excess drip off; dip just the glazed side in the cinnamon-sugar or roll all over in cinnamon-sugar, if desired. Serve warm.

Credits: from Food Network Magazine, October 2009

Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon (tsp) ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 2 granny smith apples – used for firm texture and tart taste

Method

• Pre-heat over to 200′c. In a large bowl combine sugar and spices.
• Cut apples horizontally with sharp knife, very thinly about 1/8 inch thick.
• Remove and discard seeds, mix well in spice mix.
• Arrange on baking tray as single layers on top of parchment paper.
• Bake for 2 hours, turning every 30 minutes.
• Cool on wire racks.

Makes about 30 chips.

Eat from the bowl, or pair with pork chops or potato cakes.

Ingredients

• 8 assorted apples
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 cup cider
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 tablespoons apple of pear brandy (optional)

Method

• Peel and core apples, cut into chunks. Place in a medium pan and toss with lemon juice.
• Add cider, sugar, and cinnamon, bring to boil.
• Simmer for 15 minutes.
• Discard cinnamon, and mash apple sauce lightly, to the consistency you prefer.
• Stir in brandy, and either serve immediately hot, or chill in fridge once cooled.

Quince paste is practically the national snack of Spain when paired with Manchego, sheep’s milk cheese. Once you’ve tried it, you’ll see what all the fuss is about, and you may even be motivated to try your hand at making some, which is exactly what happened to me.

Ingredients:

• 4 pounds quince
• 1 vanilla pod, split
• 2 strips (1cm by 4cm each) of lemon peel
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 4-6 cups of granulated sugar

Method:

Thoroughly wash the quince. Then peel and chop roughly. Place chopped quince in a bowl of water. Set the cores aside in another large clean bowl of water for two hours. You will use this water later.

After two hours remove the quince cores from your bowl of water and discard. Place quince pieces in a large saucepan. Add the “quince core water” to the saucepan so that the fruit is barely covered.  Add the vanilla pod and lemon peel and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and let cook until the quince pieces are fork tender (20-40 minutes).

Raw quince with lemon peel and vanilla pod – Strain the water from the quince pieces. Take out the vanilla pod and discard but keep the lemon peel with the quince. Purée the quince pieces in a food processor, blender, or by using a food mill.

Making quince puree with the food mill – For the paste you will need equal quantities of sugar and quince. Measure the quince purée. If you have 4 cups of purée, you’ll need 4 cups of sugar. Return the quince purée to the large pan and add the sugar. Stir with a wooden spoon until the sugar has completely dissolved. Add the lemon juice.

Quince puree and sugar – Continue to cook over a low heat, stirring occasionally, for 1-1 1/2 hours, until the quince paste is very thick and has a deep orange pink color. Test by dropping a little of the mixture on a plate to see if it sets to a jam-like consistency when it cools.

Preheat oven to a low 125°F (52°C). Line an 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper. Grease the paper with a thin coating of butter. Pour the cooked quince paste into the parchment paper-lined baking pan. Smooth out the top of the paste so it is even. Place in the oven for about 8 hours to help it dry. Remove from oven and let cool.

If you have unset quince paste, simply returned the quince to the baking pan so that the uncooked part was on top, until the paste is fully set.

Serving suggestion – Cut into squares or wedges and present with the spanish Manchego cheese. To eat, take a small slice of the quince paste and spread it on top of a slice of the cheese.

Storage – Wrap in plastic film and keep in the refrigerator.

If you’re looking to warm your insides after a brisk walk in the great outdoors, or to concoct a punch for your friends, these recipes are sure to warm you up. They’ll all taste best with fresh farmhouse cider:

• Mulled cider with calvados
• Mulled cider with raspberries
• Mulled cider with rum
• Wassail punch

And of course our very own mulled cider recipe.

Cheers!

• Bramley apples
• Raisins
• Chopped dried apricots
• Chopped dried dates
• Chopped mixed nuts
• Peeled and chopped banana
• Soft brown sugar
• Golden syrup
• Sherry

Method:

Preheat overn to 190′c / gas 5/

Core the apples, score the skin around the middle of each one, and place in a deep ovenproof, buttered dish.

Mix together the raisins, apricots, dates, nuts, banana and sugar and fill the centre of each apple, pushing the filling down well with a spoon.

Pour a tablespoon of sherry and golden syrup over each apple.

Bake for 30 minutes, basting occaisionally with the syrup.

Alternatively, orange juice may be used to replace the sherry.