Apples, apples and yet more of the things! Solution

[Woody girl]

Apple butter, yes it takes several pounds of apples to make this delicious spread, but the prep is easy enough, as some recipes leave the peel and only core and chop the apples.
When you have a large slow cooker full, I then transfer to a pan and gently cook them down to get them started. Then they go back into the slow cooker with two cups of dark brown sugar, two teaspoons of cinnamon, one of powdered cloves, and one or two, according to taste of ginger powder. Cook on low for many hours untill there is no liquid and it's lovely thick and gloopy,
When it coats the back of a spoon with hardly a drip, you are done. Jar up leaving a head space, and then waterbath can for 15 minutes .
Leave to cool and label.
Very hard to find this in shops if at all. I've also used this as a filling for apple muffins. I take a divot out of the top, fill with apple butter, then replace the top. I'm sure there are many other ways to use this delicious spread other than on toast.

 

[Toddy]

Sounds lovely

I don't add any spice or sugar to mine, and I don't need to waterbath it when it's done.

I use up the skins and cores of the appless I prep for canning or drying by just covering them in water and no more, then boil them up. Let it cool and strain. Simmer the juice slowly down to that back of spoon thickness and just jar it hot like making jam.
It lasts for years, it's basically Sunwheel spread.

Works beautifully with pears added to the mix too.

I have a complete loath of finding bits of apple core in my food, puts me right off, so I'm a fussy besom, but I hate wasting the rest of skins, etc., The only bits I cut out and compost right away is the flower end bit to stop the black specks in my mix, and the stick. Everything else goes in the boil it up pot for the apple spread.

It's lovely stuff, almost treacly rich and tasty with just that tang of the fruit to make your mouth water.

 

[Woody girl]

I like the slow cooker method. It's much easier that having to keep an eye on it on the stovetop, continually stirring it. I use the low heat setting, and you can forget it for most of the day. But starting it off in the pan speeds it up some.
You should try adding some spices Toddy. I've done it both with, and without, but the dark brown molasses sugar and apple spices realy take it up a notch. I've got the next batch going with star anise, and it smells amazing! Taste is wonderful too. Think this is gonna be my favourite.

 

[Toddy]

I am beyond glad that the apples are well and truly dealt with, but now I'm looking at three bucket loads of quince...... and the Autumn rasps are still fruiting.
Massive amounts of rosehips around too, and a lot of brambles as well.

 

[Woody girl]

Quince...lucky you!
Last time I got my hands on quince I manged to chuck it all down the sink by accident. The pan just fell out of my hands. To this day, I have no idea how. Thank goodness I was over the sink when it happened. The thought of trying to mop up all that sticky quince off the floor makes me q..wince.

 

[Toddy]

Catastrophes like that are a real loss.
My own usually explode

I love the smell of the quince, it's one of those Autumnal sort of fragrances that softly fills the house before the Christmassy type of pine and spices comes in.
I think smells are such a big part of the seasonal round, real memory triggers too.

M

 

[Woody girl]

Catastrophes like that are a real loss.
My own usually explode

I love the smell of the quince, it's one of those Autumnal sort of fragrances that softly fills the house before the Christmassy type of pine and spices comes in.
I think smells are such a big part of the seasonal round, real memory triggers too.

M

Exploding quince??

I think you'll find that you are actually trying to cook hand grenades.

Not recommended. !

 

[Toddy]

No, I meant my catastrophes are usually of the explosive variety....from chocolate to bottles of cordial.

I was on the phone with Son1 last time something exploded. I said, "Something's just exploded, there's glass everywhere!", and the blighter replied, "Again!!??"
As though I made a habit of it

Quince though, lovely stuff. One of the other members (Macaroon ?, I'm sure it's him) has local ladies who make it up into membrillo for him but they use honey.
I haven't tried to make it with honey.
Might give it a go this time around.

 

[Woody girl]

Exploding chocolate???? Too much popping candy added!
Actualy bought some for a bit of nostalgic fun the other week.
Terrible stuff! Why did I ever think it was good, but the black Jack's....mmmmm! Just the same, though sadly, you don't get 8 to the penny anymore.

 

[Toddy]

Oh, no, no ....balloons

Trust me on this, especially at this time of year, if someone tells you that it's easy to make chocolate bowls for posh puddings, they're lying !
There's a saga to this tale, but suffice to say...

Have you any idea of the velocity of molten chocolate as it explodes from covering a balloon ?
It got me, the floor, the door, the walls, the ceiling, the curtains....I was not a happy egg

 

[Woody girl]

I could tell you about my cat, and the bucket of blackberry wine I was starting off, covered with a tea towel for the start of fermentation. Cat thought the bucket lid was solid, jumped up onto it.
Result, one rather soggy pink moggie, and blackberry wine all over the kitchen, and one rather mad moggie mommy!
It's funny now, but at the time....!