apple cordial - a recipe

As regular readers will know, I made apple butter recently.  Apple butter is good but wasting the huge quantity of off cuts is not, so what to do???  Make cordial or syrup is what.  I feel good not throwing away good food and we get a refreshing, flavoursome cordial, with nothing artificial added.  Everyone wins!!

Here's how I did it.

Put apple peels and cores into a big saucepan.  Cover with water and bring to boil.  I added whole (native Tasmanian) pepperberries and whole cloves.  Simmer until apples have pulped.  You may need to add more water.

Strain through muslin cloth into a large bowl.

Do not squeeze the cloth to get the liquid out.  The liquid will be very cloudy if you do.  Just be patient and let it drip on it's own!!

Prepare your bottles or jars.  Wash and heat.

Return strained liquid to the clean saucepan and simmer with enough sugar to sweeten and the juice of a few lemons.  I think it needs the balance of sour lemon to give the sweet apple flavour depth.  Simmer until syrupy.  Pour into bottles, leave to cool at room temp and then store in fridge. 




This recipe has no long term keeping qualities, so will need to be stored in the fridge and consumed within a couple of weeks.

My kids like the cordial served with sparkling water.  I love it as a mixer with gin!!  Everyone is happy!! *wink*


Have you made fruit cordials?  How do you do it?

Linking to Fat Tuesday