Shakira Jelly (Rosehips Don't Lie)

Shakira Jelly

It's nearing the end of my foraging season, but I happened upon some of my favourite rosehips whilst out walking at the weekend so I felt it would be rude not to pick some.

Rosehips come in various shapes and sizes, but my favourites are the hips from the Scotch Burnet Rose. These hips look black and are spherical, unlike the torpedo-shaped hips of the Dog/Wild Rose. Scotch Burnets make a beautiful deep-purple jelly, so that's what I used them for today.

Scotch Burnet Rosehips

I picked 4 apples from a local, wild tree, so I'm not sure what type they are - maybe an apple expert will happen upon this blog and inform me.

Unidentified Foraged Apples

Shakira Jelly

Ingredients:

• 250g rosehips (one small sandwich bag full)
• 4 small apples (crab apples work well, too)
• Jam sugar
• Water

Method:

• Wash apples and rosehips separately

• Put rosehips in a pan and cover with water.

• Bring to the boil and simmer for 40mins, topping up with water if necessary.

• Chop apples and add to rosehips.

• Cover with water, bring to the boil and simmer for 15mins.

• Strain overnight in a jelly bag/muslin/a clean dish towel.

• Measure strained liquid and add 1g jam sugar for every 1ml of liquid (I used 350g sugar to 425ml juice, as I like my jelly quite tart)

• Bring to a rolling boil and check for a set using the wrinkle test (put a plate in the fridge and put a spoonful of jelly on the cold plate - after a minute, push the jelly with a finger. If it wrinkles, it's set. If it doesn't, keep boiling until it does).

• Pour into sterilised jars.

• Enjoy, once it cools. 

This may be my last post of the season, but that won't stop me looking. Until we meet again, Good Foraging xx

Bramble and Apple Strudel (Virgin Strudel)

Low-mileage Fruit

October is upon us and that means that my driving is rather more erratic than usual, as I swerve to investigate apple trees.

In the spring, I made a mental note of the locations of apple blossom and went back to check them last month. I was rewarded with some beautiful wild cooking apples. And what better to pair with them than Brambles (Blackberries to non-Scots).

I am very proud to say that both the apples and the brambles came from patches within 10 minutes walk of my house, so probably the lowest mileage of any foraged fruits I've ever used.

I made an apple and bramble strudel. This was my first ever attempt at making a Strudel, hence the Virginal aspect of the name. My name was also once misheard as Virgin Strudel, so it seemed particularly appropriate.

I used this recipe, although I found the dough very wet and added about 100g of flour whilst kneading it.

Another word of warning would be not to fold the ends of the pastry over the top, as this means the pastry underneath will be undercooked (if you'll pardon the pun).

I ate too much raw pastry while making this, so I don't think I'll be able to sample the cooked product until tomorrow. It does, however, smell delicious.