Medlar Jelly

A jar of amber-hued medlar jelly, capturing autumn’s quiet beauty in every shimmering spoonful. Tart yet honeyed, it holds the essence of fallen leaves and sunlit orchards, a sweet, slow gift of the turning year.

The perfect accompaniment to meats and cheeses, it is fantastic spread on toast or bread, a taste of autumn in very bite.

The glow from the jelly is sublime, as if the fruits themself emit a crimson hued light.

Allowing the fruits to ‘blet’ or rot, concentrates their flavour, taking it from tart to sweet and unctuous

The perfect adornment to any cheeseboard, this is as at home with sweet dishes as it is savoury..

Next time you are out for a walk, keep your eyes open for these ancient fruits, so often overlooked in lieu of their ugly appearence

But beauty lies wherever you choose to see it, these are divine little orbs of joy..

medlars, medlar jelly, fruit jelly, jam, chutney, preserve ,autumn food, foraged recipes, slow food, vegan recipes, festive recipes, cheeseboard, quince, membrillo

Yield: 500g

Author: Suze Morrison

Print

With ImageWithout Image

Medlar Jelly

Prep time: 20 MinCook time: 2 HourTotal time: 2 H & 20 M

A jar of amber-hued medlar jelly, capturing autumn’s quiet beauty in every shimmering spoonful. Tart yet honeyed, it holds the essence of fallen leaves and sunlit orchards, a sweet, slow gift of the turning year

Ingredients

• 1.5Kg Medlars
• 1 Large Apple
• 1 Lemon, cut in half
• 2 Litres Water
• 600g Caster Sugar

Instructions

1. Before you begin, the medlars must be ‘bletted’ essentially, they need to be allowed to rot. If picked hen hard, leave them on a tray in a single layer in a cool spot and allow them to turn deep amber/brown and soft. Then they are ready to use.
2. When ready, cut the medlars into quarters, along with the apple, taking care to retain all the skin and seeds. Add the two lemon halves and cover with 2 litres water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 45-50 minutes, or until soft and pulpy.
3. Allow to cool a little then strain overnight through a muslin bag. Do not be tempted to squeeze or push the mixture or else your jelly will be cloudy.
4. The next day, measure the liquid, you should have about 1 litre. Add the sugar (if you have liquid work out how much you need) and dissolve over a low heat. Pop a plate in the freezer.
5. Once dissolved, bring to a boil and cook until it reaches 104-105C on a sugar thermometer. Take a small amount and test on your plate from the freezer, if you push it with your finger it should wrinkle.
6. Decant into a sterilised jar and allow to cool before sealing and storing. Perfect on toast or with meats and cheeses.

https://gourmetglow.co.uk/recipes/medlar-jelly

---

---