Recipe courtesy of Nettle Cookbook, £9.99 Natural History Museum Shop

Apple And Nettle Jelly

Apple And Nettle Jelly

For a unique and exciting flavour, pair this delicious sweet, cloudy apple and nettle jelly with a tangy Stilton and crunch oatcakes.

Makes 3 Small Jars

Ingredients:

Approx. 1 kilo (2lb 3oz) of Bramley or other cooking apples

560ml (1 pint or 2¼ cups) of nettle tea, made with 2 nettle teabags

500g (1lb 2oz or 1¼ cups) granulated sugar

2-3 strips of lemon rind

Large bunch of fresh nettle tips or young leaves tied together

25g (1oz) dried nettles (in a muslin bag)

Jelly bag, muslin bag, and sterilized pots with lids and waxed jam paper

Instructions:

  1. Wash the apples and cut into rough pieces.
  2. Put into a large saucepan and cover with cold nettle tea. Simmer until the apples are soft.
  3. Leave to cool. Transfer the contents of the saucepan into a jelly bag and leave to drip into a bowl overnight.
  4. Add the sugar to the extracted juice and heat gradually until the sugar is dissolved (approximately 500g of juice to 500g of sugar according to taste).
  5. Add the lemon ring, fresh and dried nettles and bring to the boil.
  6. Test for setting by removing a small about to see if it sets on a plate.
  7. When ready, remove the lemon ring, nettles and muslin bag. Pour the liquid into sterilized pots, cover with waxed jam paper and leave to cool and set. Seal with a lid when completely cold. 

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