The Chilli King

Chilli Jelly recipe

This recipe uses the natural pectin found in apples to set the jelly. Alternatively you could use pecting to set the jelly and leave out the apples however I prefer the more natural option.

Ingredients:
1 kg of cooking or crab apples
500 ml of Water
500ml of cider vinegar
Sugar (1lb of sugar to each pint juice
A handful of fresh chillies (vary according to taste/variety, i use about 15).

Method:
Add the chopped apples (including the peel & core which is where most of the pectin is found!) to 500ml of cold water and 500ml of cider vinegar. Throw in about half the chopped chillies then bring to the boil then simmer for about 25 minutes.

Pour the contents of the pan through a piece of thick muslin or a jelly bag. The key here is not to force the pulp through the muslin as this can result in a cloudy jelly. Leave to drip through the bag for 5 hours.

Put the strained juice/pulp into a pan on a low heat. Measure the jucie and stir in half a kg of sugar per pint of strained juice/pulp. Once the sugar has been stirred in add the some more finely chopped chillies then turn the heat up for a further 10 minutes.
Place in clean jars and boil to steralise.

This stuff is superb and is delicious served with cheese & crackers and sandwiches/toasties.