Recipe: Lemon & Lime Marmalade (Sugar Free)

I love the tangy flavours of marmalade, but don’t eat it as often as I might as I end up feel a bit sugared-out - and I tend to get a bit militant about how much the kids consume. However the arrival of some beautiful Cornish-grown lemons and limes via our Fruutbox delivery got me thinking about how to create a version that not only doesn’t use refined sugar, but replaces the sweetener with locally-sourced honey, and at a much reduced ratio that the traditional 50 / 50 fruit / sugar weight. So here’s the recipe, I hope you enjoy it. So far we’ve spread it on toast, used it as the filling for an almond flour-based tart and as a compote alongside yoghurt. It keeps in the fridge for about a week .. I’d love to know your thoughts.

Recipe: Lemon & Lime Marmalade (refined sugar free)

Makes 2 medium size jars

Ingredients:

• 500g lemons & limes (in whatever ratio you like, or just use lemons or limes)

• 300ml water

• 150g local honey

• 1 tsp ground ginger

• 2 tbsp chia seeds

Method:

Note - prepare the marmalade by cutting the fruit and soaking overnight, then finish the recipe the next day.

1. Wash and dry the lemons and limes. Remove the hard ends, then slice into thin circles, removing pips and reserving juice as you cut them. Cut any larger slices into halves or quarters. Finely chop the rind at each end into small pieces. Place sliced lemons and limes along with any juice from cutting into a large bowl. Add the water, pop a lid or plate on top of the bowl and place in the fridge or a cool area overnight.

2. The following day, transfer the lemon and lime slices along with the water to a saucepan along with 1 tsp ground ginger. Bring to the boil then simmer for 30 minutes until the fruit has softened.

3. While the fruit is simmering, sterilise your jars.

4. After 30 minutes of simmering, add the honey to the pan, stir until melted and well combined then remove from heat.

5. Add the chia seeds and stir well then leave to cool, during this time the chia seeds will absorb the moisture and the marmalade will thicken.

6. When cool, pour into jars. Store in the fridge.

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

Recipe: Blackcurrant jam (sugar free)

I made this jam in December with some frozen blackcurrants picked from my Mum’s garden in Lostwithiel during late summer. They are a treat to come to once the rush of summer berries has ebbed away. I wanted to make it processed-sugar free; balancing that with the tartness of blackcurrants makes for an interesting challenge, the bass notes of the bay leaf work to mellow the tangy top-note flavours. The kids step in as very handy taste-testers here - brutally honest and inclined towards the sweet! They’ve given it the thumbs up and have been spreading it thick on fresh baked bread.

Without the sugar, the jam won’t last as long - keep your jar in the fridge and use within approx five days.

Recipe: Blackcurrant jam (processed sugar free)

Makes 1 small jar

Ingredients:

• 300g blackcurrants, fresh or frozen

• 3 tbsp local honey

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• Few shavings fresh ginger

• 2 bay leaves

• 1 1/2 tbsp chia seeds

• 3 tsp vanilla extract

Method:

1. Sterilise your jar in preparation for making the jam.

2. Place the blackcurrants, honey, cinnamon, ginger and bay leaf in a saucepan along with a splash of water. Simmer for approximately 8 minutes until blackcurrants have softened but there some are still holding their shape.

3. Remove saucepan from heat. Add in chia seeds and vanilla extract, stir to combine then allow to cool.

4. When cool remove the bay leaves then pour the jam into the jar.

Winter Recipe: Apple & Medlar Compote

I’m not sure why it’s taken me so long to use the medlars that ripen late autumn in our orchard; perhaps partly as I’ve been told there is an art to ‘catching’ them at the right movement on the branch and that ‘bletting’ is then required once inside; it all seemed a bit complicated. But this year I gathered my first bowlful of medlars late November, and created this compote with the first batch to ‘blet’ (see notes below) along with a handful of apples that had been gathered a few weeks ago and were amongst the first to be collected from the storage trays.

I enjoy the taste of medlar but am not a huge jelly fan, so wanted to create something with a bit more substance and less sugar than the traditional medlar jelly recipes. The soft structure of cooked medlar flesh felt as though it would lend itself to pairing with bite-size pieces of apple within a compote. I served this as a breakfast dish in a yogurt pot, the children have also enjoyed it spooned into puff pastry cases and cooked into tartlets. I’d love to know how you find it - and any other top medlar recipe tips!

Recipe: Apple & Medlar Compote

Approx 6 - 8 servings of compote

Ingredients:

• 250g medlars, bletted (see notes below)

• Sprinkle of coconut sugar (or use alternative sugar, or honey/maple syrup)

• Juice of 1/2 a lemon

• 1/4 tsp ground ginger

• 2 tbsp almond milk (or alternative milk)

• 1 tsp coconut sugar (or alternative sugar)

• 250g apples (weight before peeling or coring)

• 1/2 tbsp coconut oil

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• 1 tbsp honey (or maple syrup)

• Optional: serve with yogurt, a drizzle of honey and add an edible flower on top

Method:

1. Heat oven to 200C.

2. Rinse the medlars and pat dry. Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper and lay the medlars on top, spaced out. Sprinkle with coconut sugar. Bake in the oven for approx 20 minutes, until flesh is soft (you may need to remove some smaller medlars early, or leave larger ones to cook a little longer).

3. While medlars are in the oven, peel and core the apples then chop into bite-size pieces.

4. Place apple pieces in a saucepan with coconut oil, cinnamon and honey. Warm for approx 10 minutes until apple pieces are softening. Add a splash of water while cooking if needed so the pan doesn’t dry out. Set aside when cooked.

3. When medlars are cooked remove from oven and set aside to cool. When cool, scoop out the flesh into a bowl, discarding the flesh and stones.

4. Place medlar flesh along with lemon juice, ground ginger, almond milk and coconut sugar in blender/Nutribullet and mix until smooth.

5. Spoon the medlar ‘paste’ into the saucepan with apples, warm through until combined then remove from heat.

6. Serve warm or leave to cool and will keep for a few days in the fridge. I like to place a few spoonfuls of warm compote into the bottom of a glass cup, top with yogurt then an edible flower - in the recipe above I’ve used fuchsia.

Note on bletting medlars - medlars are harvested when firm, and left to ‘blet’ or ripen in the home, until the flesh softens. To do this, remove any leaves and lay the medlars out on a tray, plate or box so they are not touching, place in a cool area. Check regularly, you will find some blet more quickly than others and can be used first, or stored in the fridge until others catch up. For more info and recipes see: www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2006/dec/03/foodanddrink.recipes

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize