I used some local Norfolk Dapple cheese instead of gruyere and used the balsamic option rather than the truffle oil. I also used home made rough puff pastry instead of bought flaky. It was fab. We had second helpings and it will be made again very soon.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
'' Norfolk Dapple is a smooth and creamy, Cheddar-like cheese with a hint of nuttiness in the lingering aftertaste. Mature and full flavoured, with a dry and hard texture.''
I have just discovered how to make fruit leathers. Whatever glut of fruit I have I bung it all in a large pan stalks and all but removing leaves, and simmer until soft. If you think it needs a bit of water then add some. Give it a quick whizz with a blender to break down the lumps but not enough to liquidise the stalks and then work it all through a non metallic sieve. You end up with a paste of fruit sauce. Give it a taste and see if sugar is needed but don't add more than a desert spoonful or two and then it's ready for drying out. To obtain natural sweetness I try to add some cooked apple to the mix and this of course contains the pectin also needed for setting. So far I have made a mix of blackcurrants, gooseberries and apple, followed by redcurrents, blackberries and apple. Next I will be going through the freezer and doing some raspberry. Some fruits need the apple for the pectin but any currants are ok as have their own.
Once you have the paste ready line a baking tray with sides with foil and then again with greaseproof paper. Scrape the mixture on to the tray So it is about a half inch thick and smooth it over and to the edges. Place in the oven on the lowest heat you can get. Internet says it takes 12 hours but I found it quicker than that, however I did burn the first lot I made! Once the oven is warm, say at bedtime you can turn it off and leave it in all night. Do the same in the morning leaving the tray in the oven but turning off the heat as soon as it's reached temperature.
When the leather can be peeled off the paper, do so and turn it over and replace in oven so the underside gets dried. Finally when it's all finished snip it up with scissors and keep in a tin or plastic food bags. I cut mine into long strings for the children. They say it's just like haribos. Later on I plan to make a cherry cake but substitute squares of leather for cherries. Just now I add pieces of leather to my breakfast porridge.
And the good news is I may eventually have room in my freezer again for other stuff!
Fruit leathers are great ... my Russian connection used to talk of her grandmother drying them in the sun at her dacha. Apparently the grandchildren would eat them cut into little lozenge shapes instead of sweets. She brought me a few back from a visit to try ... I've a feeling that she put more in her hand luggage at the start of her journey than arrived back in the UK
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
This is the first year I've made it as only heard of fruit leathers this spring but internet says six months if stored in airtight tins or jars. I have packed it in greaseproof paper as they are a bit sticky. I think if you froze them they would last longer but maybe thaw out quite wet?
they look to me like they would keep several years, same as the apple slices I dry in my dehydrator but I don't know.
Someone with expertise can you tell us?
The thing is over the years I have made so much jam that have a store cupboard full of it still. As I'm always trying to diet these days I try not to eat or cook with jam. I only really use it now stirred into plain yoghurt. My husband only likes strawberry jam and I keep him supplied with plenty of that. Therefore apart from eating the fruit fresh, I really didn't know how to deal with the excess. This method seems such a healthy option and non fattening too!
I remember DIL saying not to freeze ... they store for ages in a dry place if you can keep the children away from them. Her grandmother kept them on top of a tall cupboard.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Posts
We've got some fabulous Swiss chard in the garden ... today I made this for supper https://www.crumbsmag.com/recipes/51_portobello-mushroom-swiss-chard-and-gruyere-tarte-tatin/
I used some local Norfolk Dapple cheese instead of gruyere and used the balsamic option rather than the truffle oil. I also used home made rough puff pastry instead of bought flaky. It was fab. We had second helpings and it will be made again very soon.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Never heard of Norfolk Dapple and unlikely to find it here. What's it like?
'' Norfolk Dapple is a smooth and creamy, Cheddar-like cheese with a hint of nuttiness in the lingering aftertaste. Mature and full flavoured, with a dry and hard texture.''
As per a local website!
That's OK then. Old Gouda will do nicely since they don't do old Bruges round here.
I have just discovered how to make fruit leathers. Whatever glut of fruit I have I bung it all in a large pan stalks and all but removing leaves, and simmer until soft. If you think it needs a bit of water then add some. Give it a quick whizz with a blender to break down the lumps but not enough to liquidise the stalks and then work it all through a non metallic sieve. You end up with a paste of fruit sauce. Give it a taste and see if sugar is needed but don't add more than a desert spoonful or two and then it's ready for drying out. To obtain natural sweetness I try to add some cooked apple to the mix and this of course contains the pectin also needed for setting. So far I have made a mix of blackcurrants, gooseberries and apple, followed by redcurrents, blackberries and apple. Next I will be going through the freezer and doing some raspberry. Some fruits need the apple for the pectin but any currants are ok as have their own.
Once you have the paste ready line a baking tray with sides with foil and then again with greaseproof paper. Scrape the mixture on to the tray So it is about a half inch thick and smooth it over and to the edges. Place in the oven on the lowest heat you can get. Internet says it takes 12 hours but I found it quicker than that, however I did burn the first lot I made! Once the oven is warm, say at bedtime you can turn it off and leave it in all night. Do the same in the morning leaving the tray in the oven but turning off the heat as soon as it's reached temperature.
When the leather can be peeled off the paper, do so and turn it over and replace in oven so the underside gets dried. Finally when it's all finished snip it up with scissors and keep in a tin or plastic food bags. I cut mine into long strings for the children. They say it's just like haribos. Later on I plan to make a cherry cake but substitute squares of leather for cherries. Just now I add pieces of leather to my breakfast porridge.
And the good news is I may eventually have room in my freezer again for other stuff!
Sounds delicious, Greenmum! I might have a go with my excess frozen raspberries.
Fruit leathers are great ... my Russian connection used to talk of her grandmother drying them in the sun at her dacha. Apparently the grandchildren would eat them cut into little lozenge shapes instead of sweets. She brought me a few back from a visit to try ... I've a feeling that she put more in her hand luggage at the start of her journey than arrived back in the UK
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
How long does it keep, please? Is it best stored in an airtight container, or frozen?
This is the first year I've made it as only heard of fruit leathers this spring but internet says six months if stored in airtight tins or jars. I have packed it in greaseproof paper as they are a bit sticky. I think if you froze them they would last longer but maybe thaw out quite wet?
they look to me like they would keep several years, same as the apple slices I dry in my dehydrator but I don't know.
Someone with expertise can you tell us?
The thing is over the years I have made so much jam that have a store cupboard full of it still. As I'm always trying to diet these days I try not to eat or cook with jam. I only really use it now stirred into plain yoghurt. My husband only likes strawberry jam and I keep him supplied with plenty of that. Therefore apart from eating the fruit fresh, I really didn't know how to deal with the excess. This method seems such a healthy option and non fattening too!
I remember DIL saying not to freeze ... they store for ages in a dry place if you can keep the children away from them. Her grandmother kept them on top of a tall cupboard.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.