Apples in Abundance

Apples in Abundance

Our little stunted orchard has produced an excellent harvest of several different kinds of apples, and today, as they had started to drop from the trees, I thought I would pick them ready for storage and eating.

Several of the apples were a bit bruised from falling and others had some insect and bird damage, and quite a few had been nobbled by pheasants. I am convinced that the pheasants had been knocking the apples from the trees as there was evidence that they had been lurking beneath the trees for some time.  Birds have a sixth sense for the exact moment fruit has reached fully ripened perfection.

I have wrapped the perfect fruits in tissue paper and placed them in a storage box in a cool place for keeping (for a while anyway).

I decided to use the most damaged apples immediately and made an Apple Sponge Pudding and some Spicy Apple Gingerbread with them.  Recipe for the Spicy Apple Gingerbread is below.  It is delicious.

Spicy Apple Gingerbread

250g           Butter or margarine

100g           Soft brown sugar

2                 Eggs

120g           Black treacle

150g           Plain flour

50g             Self-raising flour

1½ tsp       Bicarbonate of soda

1½ tsp       Ground ginger

2 tsp           Ground cinnamon or allspice

125g           Grated apple

120ml        Hot water

Method:

I mixed mine in a food processor but the recipe can be done any way you like. Cream the butter and sugar. Add eggs. Mix in treacle, flours, spices and other dry ingredients. Mix in the grated apple and hot water. Easy.

Bake in a lined baking tray or in individual muffin cases or a muffin tray at 180°C for 35 - 40 minutes.  Quicker in a fan oven.

Dust with icing sugar to finish.  Delicious.  This recipe makes a very light, moist and very moreish gingery confection.  It would work very well as individual muffins or cupcakes, and I think I will try that method next time.