Hot apple and chilli jelly recipe
Comments(60)
Photo: Hot apple chilli jelly
Danny doesn’t like things to be too hot but strangely the combination of sweet and heat in this jelly gets the thumbs up from him. Apple chilli jelly is brilliant with sausages, pork, lamb or any rich meat. Pork chops baked with a few tablespoons of this jelly are yummy. In fact it’s a very versatile preserve and well worth making. I’ve even added a little to winter salad dressings to give them a bit of a lift. The health benefits of eating chillies are amazing.
I thought that I’d written up this recipe and spent ages looking for it on the site. Basically it’s the same as hot crab apple jelly with the addition of a little lemon juice. I’m writing it up as the left over pulp is the main ingredient for my new recipe – hot spiced apple and cranberry sauce which I will post in a couple of days.
If you are lucky enough to own a fruit steamer like me. You can extract your juice and make the jelly immediately. If not then this is a two day recipe.
Hot apple and chilli jelly recipe
Ingredients:
• 600g of cooking apples washed and chopped
• 35g of medium red chilli peppers, washed and chopped with seeds in
• 1 litre of water
• White granulated sugar 500g to each 500ml of juice
• 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
• 5 dried birds eye chillies chopped
Method:
Put the chopped apples and chillies in a large heavy bottomed saucepan.
Add 1 litre of water (they should just be floating). Bring to the boil and simmer until the apples soften and become pulpy (lid on). This took about 45 minutes.
Strain through a muslin square or jelly bag overnight. (Retain the pulp to make hot apple and chilli cheese)
Add the juice to a large heavy bottomed pan and add the sugar and the lemon juice. Bring slowly to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. When the juice and sugar has come to the boil remove from the heat and skim well. Return to the heat and bring to a rolling boil until setting point is reached. This took 15 minutes.
Stir in the chopped dried chillies and pour into warm sterilised jars. Seal immediately.
These make great little Christmas or anytime presents.
Thank you for your comments. And a bit of silly bath time fun with the Frothing Sea Monster trick!
Cutting energy costs
Recipe for sausages baked with herby garlic infused beans, bacon and tomato
Tracing some of my ancestors has taken me on a long journey
Recipe for lamb shanks braised in red wine with shallots: slow cooker/crockpot
The cupboard was bare – so what was The Contessa going to eat last night?
FD
Apple and chilli work suprisingly well together. Thanks for this!
Hello Scott
I love this jelly and use it a lot in cooking
Hi Fiona PLEASE CAN YOU HELP HELP ME
The first time I made this wonderful jelly it was fantastic – started to make an other batch yesterday but I ran out of fresh chilli peppers so I tried dried ones WOH will blow your head of -any idea how I can pull this round unless I keep making more apples to add to it (this has created quite a lot of laughter in our house) here is what I used ——- I wanted a double batch the first time round
1200 gms cooking apples
35gms dried chilli peppers – how daft is that
2 ltr water
woh woh disaster so I made another batch of
1200 gms cooking apples
2 ltr water
and added this to the first lot——- now have lots of wonderful liquid and plenty of mush apples which I hoped to make inton apple/cranberry sauce — but oh sooooooooooo hot – how can I rescue this – have thought of making up more apples to add to mix yet again – I have not yet added the sugar – (dont want to waste more ingredients if it cant be saved)hope you can make sence of this rambling.
Mary (now a real hot Mama)
Hi Mary
What I would do is cook up 1200gms of apples plus 2 litres of water. Then add some of the red hot mixture a tablespoon at a time until you have the right amount of heat. Note how many spoonfuls you need and divided the super hot chilli apple mixture into the same sized portions to freeze to add to a plain apple mix next time.
Thanks Fiona
Have just put on another 1200gms of apples – will add small amounts of red hot mixture (at this rate I will end up with dozens of jars)
I am busy making space in the pantry for all my jars of goodies. Have cooking some ‘Gingered Spareribs with brown sugar’- in slow cooker they will make a wonderfull supper dish on this cold sunday evening.
Once again many thanks for your help and all the wonderfull receipts.
Mary
Thank you for this idea; we have SO many apples, and peppers are an easy thing to buy when we’re in the city, because a few go such a long way. I’m looking forward to trying this when Bob comes back from the city with cargo… I’m going to call and ask him to get a few chili peppers.
Hello Betsy
This apple chilli jelly is extremely popular on our gateside stand. In fact I’m going to make another batch today!
Do the apples need to be peeled and cored?
No just chop them up!
Hi
This recipe sounds fantastic, and I’m just starting my first batch.
I have some preserving sugar to use up (without addded pectin) do you think this would work just as well as granulated sugar?
Also, should I store the jars of jelly in the fridge or will they be OK in a dark cupboard, and how long will the jelly keep?
Many thanks
Hi Jules
Preserving sugar leaves a nasty aftertaste I reckon. But it would work. The jelly lasts for months in sealed jars, store in a dry place.
This jelly is fab. It is great to use in so many ways. I put a big dollop on my dinner last night, which was pork loin, and it was lovely, much more tasty than boring apple sauce! I also use it on cheese sandwiches etc, yummy.
Hi,
I am in the UK. Where is the best and cheapest place to buy jars from. I have found somewhere locally, but they are quite expensive.
Thanks
Frances
Hi, Lakeland sell jars, lids, labels etc, but I just use old jars from food stuffs I have used, jam, curry sauce etc. Wash in hot water thoroughly, rinse, then sterilise in the oven. You can buy labels at W.H Smith for a few pence.
Hi
This jelly sounds great. But, I am confused about the sugar quantity. You advised 500g for every 500ml of juice – does that mean I use 1000gms for the recipe above? I am getting that calculation from the water.
Thanks
Hi Morag
You need to measure the juice obtained – when it has dripped through the jelly bag. Then you work out your sugar ratio
This jelly turned out amazing!
One tip — I made the jelly just as instructed, with 35g of chilis. I tasted the broth and thought, “much much too hot!”. I even took out some broth and mixed it with sugar and still thought it would be too hot. So, I made a second batch, adding chili to taste.
I ended up jarring up both batches, and the original batch ended up perfect! The more dilute-chili batch is still lovely… but it is not nearly hot enough.
I thought I would share that for anyone who feels the need to dip their paws in the jelly-broth and make adjustments. Fiona’s recipe as-is is just right.
Hi,
Have you ever made this with plum jelly instead of apples. I made the apple one last year and it was delicious, have now got 5 pints of plum juice and wonderedd if I could add chillis to that?
Also, can I make plum cheese from the pulp and if so, what is the best way.
Thanks
Hi, Chris here.
I am just about to make this jelly and realised I have bags of fresh chillies but no dried birds eye ones for the finished jelly. Will fresh ones work just as well or I do have a jar of crushed chilli flakes, can I use them?
Also, having grown so many chilli plants this year was wondering if anyone has a method of oven drying them. I have some frozen but wondered if I could oven dry them too?
Hi Chris
Use the chilli flakes at the end – they should include the seeds
Hi fn,
Just wondered if you had missed my question above???
Thanks
Hi Frances
Apologies. I did miss your question.
Yes I reckon that you could make plum chilli jelly – as these are not so high in pectin as apples I’d put in 4 tablespoons of lemon juice.
Re the plum cheese. I’d follow this recipe
http://www.cottagesmallholder.com/hot-crabapple-chilli-cheese-3733 and up the sugar to 400g if you want it to last more than 2-3 months.
Just wanted to say how lovely this recipe is.
I’ve made three batches now, and with one of them I also added a bit of root ginger, which I think worked quite well.
I must also agree with Urs above, when I tasted the mixture part way through the process I thought it was going to be much to hot, but the final jelly is just perfect.
Many thanks
I made a batch of this this week and it is wonderful. The colour is glorious and my second batch will be done next week. Thank you so much Fiona. By the way it is the first jelly I have ever made.
Could I make this with tart eating apples? I just have loads and don’t know what to do with them.
Hi Ydolem
Yes you can – just add a bit more lemon juice if it tastes too sweet before boiling up the jelly.
Oooh! Thank you. I’m sooooo excited.
After searching for a recipe to make with apples (after getting loads of freebee ones) I found this one, gave it a go this weekend and had our first taste tonight with a stir fry, gorgeous!!! I have made enough to give out as Christmas pressies and will certainly be making more when my stash runs out, love it, thank you
Having made a lot of jelly recently I was disappointed to have huge ‘scum’ problems with this one! I boiled then skimmed well but when setting point was reached a thick scum formed again. I tried to skim it then stir in the dry chillis but have ended up with a rather scummy jelly.
I’ve also lost a lot of jelly in the skimming process. Is there any other way to help avoid the scum? I’ve heard a knob of butter stirred in helps but the recipe I saw did this prior to straining the juice overnight… I don’t have a jam pan so just a use a large pan – could this be making the problem worse?
Many thanks for any help.
Hi Ammie-oy
I have scaum problems to – in a large saucepan and the maslin pan. The trick with the butter is to add it when the jam has reached setting point and stir it in gently. It works a treat.
Thank you! I tried butter and it worked well but I put it in a little too early. Reckon I should have it right next time. Anyway, great recipe to add variety to the ways of using up the apple glut. Thanks
Hello Fiona, What a fabulous site. My partner and I have just made our first attempt at Hot Apple and Chilli Jelly. We quadrupled the quantity and used Bramleys, including the skin and cores. Followed instructions to the letter. We had four litres of juice and a rolling boil for 2 hours, continuously testing for setting point. We gave up and put the still liquid juice, it tastes and looks superb, into jars. Where did we go wrong and can we turn this juice into a jelly? Please help!
Hi Fiona
Quarter the quantity and add a tablespoon of fresh lemon juice to each quarter. Then make the jelly in four batches. It’s always best to stick to small batches as it sets more easily. You had problems as you quadrupled the recipe!
By the way are you sure that you achieved a rolling boil? Lots of tiny bubbles that rise several inches above the juice and sugar?
Fiona, Thanks for a swift response. We added a tablespoon of fresh lemon juice per litre first time round (ie 4 tablespoons) but we’ll try a quarter of the non jelly/juice with another tablespoon of lemon juice. We’ll let you know how we get on. Thanks again. Fiona
Hi, any idea if you could make this in a slow cooker? as I know that some slow cooker recipe books include jams.
Fiona, Re non-setting jelly. We’d put the ‘unset’ jelly in sterilised jars, intending to follow your advice later. When we looked at it two days later: it had set. Is the ‘crinkle test’ on a cold plate the same for jellies as jams? It is clear, more of a caramel colour than straw BUT absolutely delicious. Initially the full burst of apple in the mouth and then within a second or two the amazing warmth hits. Friends who have tried it love it. THANK YOU. Fiona
Hi Fiona, I’m making this at the moment but the supermarket didn’t have dried birds eye chillies so I bought chilli flakes, should I use them once the liquid is strained or just leave them out?
PS – have made loads of the quince jelly – yum yum
Hi Kim
The flakes are fine to use. Add them right at the end when the jelly has reached setting point and is removed from the heat. Stir them in and leave the pan for a good ten minutes before potting up so the chilli flakes don’t all float to the top.
I made this recently – really good, one question though… my chillis are all sitting on the top – how do I get them to disperse evenly through the jelly?
I made this last year and everyone who tried it loved it. I’ve just picked a few pounds of crabs so guess what I’ll be doing this weekend
Hi Vic
We were eating this with grilled lamb chops last night – yummy
Hi, I am in the middle of making this recipe and have a quick question I would like to ask please. I have just cooked my crab apples and chillis and they are currently in the jelly bag. I’m a bit concerned though that the liquid that is coming out if cloudy (a pale pinkish cloudy), should it be clear?
Hi Kate
Yes it will look cloudy but it goes clear when you heat it up and add the sugar.
Oh thank you so much for that, that’s put my mind at rest. Can’t wait to finish it tomorrow.
What a fantastic blog this is, so many gorgeous recipes waiting to be tried, I think crab apple and sloe jelly will be next. x
Hi,
can you tell me where i can find the recipe for the apple and chilli cheese? My fruit is dripping throught the jelly bag as I type and would like to make the cheese with the left overs. Thanks
Hi Fiona,
This looks delicious….may I ask some advice….I’ve just ordered a fruit steamer, so to make the juice part do I put the apples and chillis in the steamer….how long for etc? Also, is there a reason why you use white granulated sugar and not unbleached? I’m curious! Many thanks.
Diana
Ps a friend of mine also has a fruit steamer…she makes the most amazing juices and cordials. Between the two of you, I’ve been inspired!
How long will this jelly keep. I’m wanting to make batches of it and Mint jelly to keep until June – do you think it will be OK
Hi Bizzylizzy
The jelly keeps for at leat a year!
Hi – when you started the thread for this recipe you mentioned extracting the juice in a steamer but you didn’t say if you added the chillies to the apples in the steamer. I have some lovely apple juice made from 5lbs of mixed crab/sharp eating apples and just wondered if I could use this to make this chilli recipe – or is it too late to add them now? Same question for making Rosemary jelly – is there any way I can use the juice to make either of these jellies. Thanks for any help.
Hi Mauramac
Yes you add the chillies to the apple to exract juice and then add the dried chillies to the jelly at the end. And yes you can use your apple juice!
Hi. I love the look of the Hot apple and chilli jelly recipe and hope to make some for Christmas Hamper pressies.
The recipe asks for ‘Medium Red Chilli Peppers’ is that Chilli Peppers as in Bell Peppers or Medium heat red chillies?
HI HelB
It’s medium heat red chillies. Marked medium heat in the supermarket.
Hi, do you have a recipe for the ‘leftovers’ cheese… that sounds yummy too!!
Hi Jo
Yes there’s a recipe for it here – it’s the same as crabapple
http://www.cottagesmallholder.com/hot-crabapple-chilli-cheese-3733
i made hot apple chilli jelly 600 grams of eating apples cause they were free and used 35 grams of dried chillies from my plants this year it took quite a bit to set will try next time with all the apples chopped up because i don’t have a miller i had to cut up the apples and squashed it through a sieve
FANTASTIC FANTASTIC this is lovely and so easy I am so proud of myself, I also saved the pulp and made the hot aplle and chilli cheese, sounds daft but they look so pretty in the jars too, that i left them on the kitchen counter for evryone to see, had trouble getting jars but now people are bringing jars by the dozen for a taste of something!!!! isn’t life just grand in the kitchen
Fiona – can you help me please with what might seem a daft question. I have just cooked my 600g of apples and 35g chillies as per instructions with 1 litre of water. I didn’t use steamer this time as wanted to try both methods. The apple mix is now cooked and I have ladled contents of saucepan into jelly bag to strain. This obviously includes the water used to cook the apple/chillies and my question is this. Does it make the jelly more watery or harder to set than the steaming method. Or do you ever dilute the juice made from the steamer method? Sorry that’s more than one question! I’ve never quite got my head around the difference in the 2 methods of juice extraction as the steamed fruit does produce lots of juice with no water added you would think the results would be very different.
Hi Mauramac
The water and juice produced during the steaming method is from condensed steam – I find that less is produced during the steaming method but I never add more water as it would take longer to set. The old fashioned jelly bag method is easier when it comes to getting the jelly to set, I think but the results are not as crystal clear as the steaming method.
Thanks for such a quick reply Fiona. I wonder why the jelly bag method sets more easily – you would think it might be harder due to the added water. Very interesting. I will let you know how my traditional method jelly sets a bit later. I must try not to squeeze the bag! and will be looking for a recipe to use up the pulp. Thanks again, I do love your recipes.
Hi Mauramac
You can use the pulp to make fruit cheese! There are recipes on the site.