We have foraged for apples this week. They are abundant in our neighbourhood, and a free food. Some I will store for use in winter, but every year I try new recipes to find different ways to use up the apples and preserve them. We have made cider in the past, and I have water bathed apple sauce and used them in baking. This year I am making apple juice for the first time as the trees are laden.
I would only make apple juice with wild or organic apples as a lot of preservatives and fertilisers are used on apples. these maybe harmful to our health. Some have a wax coating when bought from the supermarket and a lot now are covered in Apeel that is impossible to wash off, even with vinegar.
Ingredients
6 medium apples
3 cups of water
1 small lemon (or half a large one)
A small piece of ginger (optional)
6 mint leaves (optional)
1/2 tablespoon of honey (or more if you want the juice really sweet. This is also optional).
Method
- Wash the apples
- Cut them into quarters and take out the core. You do not need to peel them.
- Combine the lemon juice, chopped ginger, water, honey, apples and mint in a food processor (I did not use the mint)
- Blend until it is almost smooth and combined. My food processor is rubbish and so mine was still a bit rough.
- Sieve the contents of the food processor. I did mine through muslin and squeezed the juice out into a jug. Adjust the sweetness by adding more honey if desired
- Put into sterilised bottles, or into a container, and place in the fridge.
- This will last for up to a week if it is kept refrigerated.
We will be drinking this with our breakfast this week. I hate waste and so I am drying the apple that was sieved out of the juice and I will mix it with toasted oats and a bit of brown sugar and have it over yoghurt and apple compote as a crunchy topping.
Next week I am going to try making some apple juice and water bathing it to see if I can make myself some apple juice for the winter. I will let you know how it goes.
I am going to try this!! Thank you for the recipe😁
No worries. Thanks for commenting
A nice simple recipe… I’ll try this if I can get enough apples
Great. Yes I love simple recipes. I hope that you can forage some from somewhere
Great post yet again.
I was out walking just the other day and noticed an abundance of apples, some fallen and some still on trees and thought “wonder if I could do something with these ” …. so …. then I’m thinking you’ve read my mind 😅.
Now I’m having to recall my steps in order to gather some so I can take advantage of this recipe, I’m not a fan of apple juice to be fair but the husband loves it, he also loves apple cidr Vinegar which usually costs me about 99p per 500ml, so think I could potentially kill 2 birds with one stone 😅.
Now I only have to remember where I noticed the bounty and quickly go gather some free produce, thanks so much toni for your abundance of information xxxx
Yes. I must have done the same walks loads of times and didn’t notice them until I retired and was short of money. I hope that you find the apples again
Thx very much for sharing this
No worries. Thanks for commenting
Will give this ago, will put a message on a local page if anyone has a food processor to sell. I thought you’d be using a press Toni, so this a cheaper idea as I imagine those presses are expensive . Great idea drying out the bits that’ll be nice sprinkled in my porridge along side my 2 dates I have daily cut up with cinnamon in it😋. Thanks for sharing x
I used to have a press that I was given to make cider. Unfortunately it all went mouldy in the shed a few years ago. Thanks for commenting
I’m going to try this tonight . I just have the right amount of apples
Great.
Thanks for commenting
Thanks for the recipe. I’ll try this. Maybe it could be frozen in jam jars to keep for longer like I do with elderflower cordial?
Yes it can. It just needs a shake when they defrost. Thanks for commenting
Thank you so much, I had always thought an apple press would be essential so I’d never tried making juice. We have quite a few windfalls and will certainly have a go with my ancient but functional food processor.
I have found that the apple juice is nicer if you leave it in the fridge a couple of days. Yes my food processor is really old as well, but it works. Thanks for commenting