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English Breakfast Tea Spiced Crab Apple Jelly

English Breakfast Tea Spiced Crab Apple Jelly

It’s time for tea! Tea makes for such a nice addition to many of our favourite recipes, but we especially enjoy it in jelly. The rich, full-bodied notes of English breakfast tea pair so perfectly with the crab apples. Spread this jelly on a delicious scone, and then pair it with a cup of tea for 100% tea-based deliciousness.

YIELDS

yields approximately 6 cuts (1440 millilitres)

PREP TIME

25 minutes (or overnight)

COOK TIME

about 1 hour

INGREDIENTS

  • 16 cups (4 lbs / 1816 g) whole crab apples, cut into quarters, stems and stem bottoms removed (unpeeled)
  • 7 cups (1680 ml) water, or just to cover
  • 12 strips (about 1 medium-sized lemon) lemon zest
  • 3 pieces 3” (7.6 cm) cinnamon sticks
  • 2 tbsp (10 g) pink peppercorns
  • 1 inch (26 g) fresh ginger root, sliced into rounds
  • 3 tea bags, English Breakfast
  • 2 ½ cups (500 g) Redpath® Granulated Sugar
  • 2 tbsp (30 ml) lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp (30 ml) apple cider vinegar

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. In a large pot, combine the crab apple pieces with water, lemon peels, cinnamon sticks, pink peppercorns and ginger. Bring mixture to a boil on medium-high heat, reduce heat and simmer; 20 minutes. Add in the tea bags and simmer for another 5 to 10 minutes, or until crab apples are soft. 
  2. Pour mixture into a strainer lined with cheesecloth, and set over another large pot. Allow apples to strain, pressing down to extract as much flavour as possible. If a clearer jelly is desired, allow the mixture to drip for several hours (or overnight).
  3. Discard solids. Add sugar, lemon juice, and apple cider vinegar to the crab apple juice. Place pot on medium-high heat and bring to a rolling boil, stirring continuously. Place a thermometer into the jelly. Once it comes to a rolling boil, stir and boil until jelly comes to 430ºF (220ºC). Once temperature is reached, take off heat and skim any foam off with a slotted spoon.
  4. Fill sterilized jars with hot crab apple jelly, leaving about ¼ inch (6 millimetres) of space from the rim. Wipe rims and seal with a lid; until tight. Allow jelly to stand, undisturbed, for 12 hours at room temperature. Once opened, make sure to jelly remains in the refrigerator.

 

CHEF'S TIPS

*Have ready 5 to 6 (1 cup/240 ml) sterilized jars before proceeding with recipe.

*Place a plate or lid over the pieces of apple in the pot, in order to hold the apples down, before filling with water just enough to cover the apples.

*Try different flavoured teas with this recipe - green, earl grey, hibiscus all work wonderfully!