Recently on each visit to the allotment I have been greeted by a nest of apples suspended in the net over the brassica patch. I have now cleared the tree of crisp eating apples. There's nothing like a glut to turn everyone off a foodstuff so I decided to try drying them in rings. The first experimental batch got eaten on the same day - hardly the point of preserving them in this way, but no matter, there are plenty enough to satisfy demand. This is batch two.
All you need to do is core and thinly slice your apples (peeled or not depending on your preference) and then lay out the rings straight on the (clean) oven racks with the oven set at the lowest temperature - for a minimum of four hours, even as much as six. Job done.
As you can see I peeled them. Firstly this removed any blemishes and secondly the popular vote after trying both styles was "peeled". I am cooling the rings on bamboo skewers before sealing them in an airtight tin. They just seem so photogenic - to me anyway.
How long are they supposed to keep, assuming no-one eats them prematurely?
ReplyDeleteThey are supposed to keep for "up to a year", Sue. I guess it must vary with the thickness of the slices, the length of drying and the airtightness of the container, not to mention the ambient temperature. I'm not worried though as they are going like hot cakes.
ReplyDeleteBrenda has been reaching about for ideas of what to do with the apples. Its chaos in the kitchen. Wonder if I dare suggest rings?
ReplyDeleteBe assured, it is a lot less trouble than making windfall marmalade.
DeleteWe've lots of Egremont Russets - might give it a go.
ReplyDeleteAs the flavour intensifies with drying I can imagine that would be quite something!
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