Homegrown Apple Recipes from Chef Jess Rose Young

The apple harvests are in and I think we can safely say this has been a good year! If your kitchen is still piled high with your apple crop, you’ll know there’s only so much crumble you can eat (although we’re doing our best) and a little inspiration wouldn’t go amiss. 

We asked Jess Rose Young, head chef at Genco London and a champion of seasonal produce, to share some of her original apple recipes. They’ve been created to showcase her favourite British apple varieties but you can use whatever your tree provides.

Jump to:

• Spiced apple ketchup
• Apple and walnut cake
• Mulled apple cider
• Cheese and apple scones

Spiced Jonagold apple ketchup

Ingredients

• 2 white onions
• 2 sprigs thyme
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 500g of Jonagold apple, peeled, cored and roughly chopped
• 150g of soft brown sugar
• 250ml of apple cider vinegar
• 1 star anise
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• ½ teaspoon grated nutmeg
• 1 tsp flakey sea salt
• 1 tsp cracked black pepper

Method

1. Slice the onions and sweat in a large heavy based pan for 10 minutes until soft with the olive oil and thyme springs.
2. Add the apples, star anise and mustard seeds. Stir until the apples are coated in the onions and spices, for 5 minutes or so.
3. Add the vinegar, nutmeg and seasoning, and gently cook until the apples form a thick pulp, stirring all the time. This should take 15-20 minutes.
4. Using a hand stick or a food processor, blend the apple mix until pureed. Remove the star anise and any thyme stalks left in before doing so.
5. Put the smooth puree into a clean pan and add the sugar. Bring gently to the boil ensuring it doesn't catch on the bottom of the pan.
6. Boil for 10 mins, stirring continuously until it has thickened.
7. Pour into hot sterilised jars or bottles and seal with correctly fitting lids for a longer lasting ketchup. Alternatively, allow to cool completely and store it in an airtight container for 2 weeks in the fridge.

Cox apple and walnut cake

Ingredients 

• 115g unsalted butter, diced and chilled, plus extra for the tin
• 225g self-raising flour
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 110g dark brown muscovado sugar
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 100ml full fat milk
• 250g Cox’s apples, peeled, cored and diced
• 100g chopped walnuts
• 2 tbsp demerara sugar

Method

1. Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter and line a deep 20cm cake tin with baking parchment.
2. Mix the flour and spices together in a large bowl. Add the cubed butter and rub into the flour using your fingers, until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar. Make a small well in the centre of the flour mix and start to beat in the egg followed by the milk. Add it gradually, allowing the flour to naturally fall into the egg mix in the well of the bowl whilst you’re stirring, until you have a smooth, thick batter.
3. Add the apples and walnuts and fold them into the mix carefully to combine. pour the batter into the prepared tin and gently level out. Sprinkle over the demerara sugar and bake for 30-40 mins or until golden and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.
4. Allow to cool in the tin for 15 mins and then carefully turn out onto a wire rack to cool further.

Mulled Spartan apple cider

• 1.5L dry cider (we’d recommend a Perry)
• 7 tbsp Calvados
• 400ml apple juice or 1kg Spartan apples for juicing
• 75g dark brown sugar
• 1 orange, skin peeled into strips
• 4 whole cloves
• 2 cinnamon sticks, broken in half
• 1 tbsp allspice berries
• 2 star anise

Method

1. Pour the cider, Calvados, apple juice and sugar into a large saucepan, and gently heat to mull. (If you have a juicer - wash your apples and remove any stalks and stickers before juicing the apples. Juicing 1kg of apples should give you around 400-500ml of juice.)
2. Add the orange peel and spices, bring to a simmer, then turn down and keep on a low heat for 20-30 mins. Taste and check if the cider needs any more sugar before serving.

Cheese and Egremont Russet apple scones

Makes 8-10 scones.

Ingredients

• 225g self raising flour, plus extra for dusting
• ½ tsp baking powder
• 60g butter, chilled and diced
• 100g extra mature cheddar cheese, grated
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme, stalks discarded
• 100g grated Egremont Russet apple
• 150ml milk
• ½ tsp english mustard powder
• Pinch cayenne pepper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 220ºC, gas mark 6, and grease a large baking sheet. Grate the apples into a clean tea towel and sprinkle with a little salt. Leave to sit for 10 minutes then squeeze out any liquid.
2. Tip the flour into a large mixing bowl and stir in the baking powder. Add the diced butter and use your fingertips to rub it into the flour until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
3. Stir the grated cheese, thyme leaves, spices and apples into the mixture. Make a well in the centre of the flour mix, pour in the milk and bring together with a round bladed knife to form a soft dough.
4. Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured work surface, knead briefly until smooth then roll it out to 2cm thick. Using a 6cm straight-sided pastry cutter, cut out the scones, rerolling the dough as you go.
5. Arrange the scones on the prepared baking sheet, making sure that they are spaced well apart without touching. Brush the tops with a little extra milk and then sprinkle a good pinch of the remaining grated cheese over the top of each scone. Bake for 12-15 minutes until well risen and golden. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Serve warm, buttered, either on their own or with extra Cheddar and slices of apple.