Rowanberry And Apple Jelly
Rowan berries are not just a cheerful red berry; they’re also edible! Rowanberry jelly (also known as mountain ash jelly) is a delicacy in the Nordic countries, often served with game meats or paired with creamy cheeses as part of a charcuterie table.
Rowan berries are quite bitter on their own, but a good frost and a little apple can go a long way in softening the bite! Packed with all the goodness of foraged fruit, this homemade jelly also makes a lovely gift. I’ll also share some foraging tips below!
How to identify rowan trees and berries
This is a really simple jelly to forage and make, as Rowan Trees are easily identifiable. They’re also called Quicken Tree and Mountain Ash, though they are not related to ash trees.
Rowan trees are relatively small. Apparently, they can grow up to 20 meters in height, but I’ve never seen one that big. It’s a common tree in the northern hemisphere and thrives in the British and Irish climate, but also in higher altitudes and colder climates like here in Scandinavia.
-Rowans are often called Mountain Ash because their feathered leaves resemble those of the ash (Fraxinus). Each leaf has up to 15 tooth-edged leaflets ( whereas Ash leaves have just 5-9 leaflets). The leaves turn a vibrant red in late autumn, compared to Ash, which tends toward yellow and purple.
–The bark is smooth, shiny, and greyish-coloured.
–Rowan flowers are a creamy white color, and to me, look similar to elderberry flowers, but much larger!
-The fruit matures from yellow to orange to a bright, vibrant red in autumn and you’ll find them in large clusters. The berries themselves are quite small, about the size of a wild bilberry ( small blueberry. They’re firm outside with a soft, yellow inside.
When To Pick Rowan Berries
Rowan berries are best harvested in October when they have their full color but are not yet mushy. A few nights of frost help to sweeten their bitter flavor. But if there is no sign of frost, you can achieve the same effect by popping the fruit in the freezer overnight!
Rowan fruit contains sorbic acid, and when raw also contains parasorbic acid, which causes indigestion and can lead to kidney damage, but heat treatment and, to a lesser extent, freezing, renders it nontoxic by changing it to the benign sorbic acid. They are also usually too astringent to be palatable when raw.
Wikipedia
Rowan Berry And Apple Jelly Ingredients
- 4.5 Cups/ 1 liter Rowan berries – Frost-bitten berries are sweeter, or you can pop your berries in the freezer overnight!
- 1 Apple – You can use any apple; Crab apples and unripe apples have higher pectin levels which help the jelly to set. Apple can be used tp add a little sweetness and helps set the jelly.
- 1 Cup/ 250ml Water
- 0.5Pound /500g Sugar – You can use either granulated or jam sugar. Jam sugar has added pectin and citric acid to help your jelly set. (Rowan berries contain high levels of pectin, and if you combine this with an apple, and the saucer test, you have good chances of making a jelly that will set well without pectin!)
Equipment
- Small jars with a well-fitting lid. . Small jars are preferable as you will need to use up any open jars of jelly within about 2 weeks. You will need enough for about 2 Cups / 500ml of jelly.
- An immersion blender or stick blender -Alternatively, a potato masher or fork can be used to crush the berries.
- Jelly strainer, or sieve lined with muslin.
- Food thermometer – Takes all the guesswork out of whether or not you have hit a jam-setting point.
- A plate or saucer – For the saucer test ( explained below)
Instructions
STEP 1. Sterilize your jars and lids by boiling them in water for 5 minutes. Remove them with a tong or other utensil, and avoid touching the inside of the jar with your fingers.
Alternatively, you can wash your jars and lids in hot, soapy water and then place them in an oven at 160°C / 320°F to dry.
STEP 2. Place a plate or saucer in the fridge if you plan on using the saucer test.
STEP 3. Remove the berries from the stalks and rinse in running water. Discard any damaged or dried berries.
STEP 4. Roughly chop the apple; you can remove the core or leave it in. The seeds will be removed later.
STEP 5. Add the berries, apple, and water to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer the mixture on low heat for about 20 minutes or until the fruit has softened and falls apart.
STEP 6. Use an immersion blender to mix to a pulp. You can also use a potato masher.
Pass the mixture through the sieve or muslin and collect the liquid in a small saucepan. It may take some time for the liquid to drain.
STEP 7. Add the sugar to the liquid and bring to a rolling boil for 10 minutes and test the setting point using one of the two methods below.
Method 1:
Use a food thermometer to help ensure that the jelly reaches the setting point. 105°C /220°F is the optimal temperature.
Method 2:
Use the saucer test: Spoon a little jelly the cooled saucer, let the jam cool in the fridge for a minute, and then push it against the side with your finger. If the surface wrinkles, the pectin network has solidified, and the setting point has been reached.
If the jelly has not set, you can return it to the heat and boil for another few minutes before testing again.
STEP 8. Pour the jelly into the jars when it has reached the setting point, filling the jars to the top if possible. This will reduce the risk of condensation in the jars and improve the shelf life of the jelly. Seal the jars while they are still hot.
The jelly will need to rest for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight, to fully set in the jars.
Storage
Store your jars in a dark, cool room or pantry. Any open jars will need to be refrigerated and eaten within about two weeks.
How To Serve Rowan Berry Jelly
In the Nordic countries, rowan berry jelly is traditionally served with game such as wild boar and venison, but is also fitting on a charcuterie board as it complements a range of meats and cheeses.
Butter-fried Chanterelle mushrooms contrast with the sharpness of the jelly and are usually in season at the same time as rowan fruit.
Variations
Vanilla works really well to soften the bitterness of rowan berry jelly and tastes great served with cheese, not so much with meat.
You can also make a rowanberry jam by leaving some or all of the pulp in the mixture. You may need to add some extra sugar depending on how much pulp you add.
The ancient Celts called the Rowan Tree the tree of life because of the wide array of wildlife that these trees attract, including butterflies, birds, bees song thrushes, waxwings fieldfares and blackbirds.
8 Billion Trees
It’s not just birds that benefit from the fruit of the rowan tree!
Rowanberry And Apple Jelly
Equipment
- 2 Small jars with a well-fitting lid. Small jars are preferable as you will need to use up any open jars of jelly within about 2 weeks. You will need enough for about 2 Cups / 500ml of jelly.
- Immersion blender/stick blender A potato masher or fork can also be used to crush the berries if necessary.
- Jelly strainer , or sieve lined with muslin.
- Food thermometeror – The most useful tool for ensuring you have reached the setting point.
- Small plate, or saucer for the saucer test.
Ingredients
- 4.5 Cups 1 liter Rowan berries – Frost-bitten berries are sweeter, or you can pop your berries in the freezer overnight.
- 1 Apple – You can use any apple; Crab apples and unripe apples have higher pectin levels which help the jelly to set. Apple can be used tp add a little sweetness and helps set the jelly.
- 1 Cup/ 250ml Water
- 0.5 Pound /500g Sugar – You can use either granulated or jam sugar. Jam sugar has added pectin and citric acid to help your jelly set. Rowan berries contain high levels of pectin, and if you combine this with an apple, and the saucer test, you have good chances of making a jelly that will set well without pectin!
Instructions
- STEP 1. Sterilize your jars and lids by boiling them in water for 5 minutes. Remove them with a tong or other utensil, and avoid touching the inside of the jar with your fingers.Alternatively, you can wash your jars and lids in hot, soapy water and then place them in an oven at 160°C / 320°F to dry.
- STEP 2. Place a plate or saucer in the fridge if you plan on using the saucer test.
- STEP 3. Remove the berries from the stalks and rinse in running water. Discard any damaged or dried berries.
- STEP 4. Roughly chop the apple; you can remove the core or leave it in. The seeds will be removed later.
- STEP 5. Add the berries, apple, and water to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer the mixture on low heat for about 20 minutes or until the fruit has softened and falls apart.
- STEP 6. Use an immersion blender/stick blender to mix to a pulp. You can also use a potato masher.Pass the mixture through the sieve or muslin and collect the liquid in a small saucepan. It may take some time for the liquid to drain.
- STEP 7. Add the sugar to the liquid and bring to a rolling boil for 10 minutes and test the setting point using one of the two methods below.Method 1: Use a food thermometer to help ensure that the jelly reaches the setting point. 105°C /220°F is the optimal temperature.Method 2: Use the saucer test: Spoon a little jelly the cooled saucer, let the jam cool in the fridge for a minute, and then push it against the side with your finger. If the surface wrinkles, the pectin network has solidified, and the setting point has been reached.If the jelly has not set, you can return it to the heat and boil for another few minutes before testing again.
- STEP 8. Pour the jelly into the jars when it has reached the setting point, filling the jars to the top if possible. This will reduce the risk of condensation in the jars and improve the shelf life of the jelly. Seal the jars while they are still hot.The jelly will need to rest for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight, to fully set in the jars.
Notes
Nutrition
Please note:
This nutritional information is an estimate and values may vary. It is for guidance only and should not be considered dietary advice.
Our family loves gathering rowanberries in the autumn, and I hope this recipe inspires you to forage too!