sloe and apple jelly recipe

A lovely jelly with a tart taste and beautiful colour. It tends to be a bit sticky, so put it in the jars when it is a little runnier than most jellies. It will firm up anyway after a few months.

For 2 jars

• granulated sugar (for exact quantity see below)
• 1.35kg apples, chopped but not peeled or cored
• 1.35kg sloes

Method

Put the packets or bowl of sugar in a very low oven to warm up for about half an hour.

Cook the apples and sloes separately, adding just enough water to cover the fruit. Simmer gently until tender. Strain the juices separately.

Measure the juice, take equal parts of sloe and apple, and combine in a preserving pan. Add 450g warmed sugar for each 570ml of juice, stir until dissolved and then boil rapidly until setting point is reached. To test this put a small amount on a cold saucer and cool in the fridge. Once cold it should wrinkle when pushed. Pour into warm sterilised jars, cover and seal.

You can eat this straight away or store for up to a year.

This recipe featured in the Sarah Raven 2014 Diary.