Apple chilli jam

I make this every year for Christmas presents for friends and family and it always goes down a storm. Brilliant for a cheese board, we also eat it with veggie sausages all year round.

Ingredients:

• 1.5kg cooking apples
• 1l water
• 900g granulated sugar
• Juice of 2 lemons (I grate the zest and pop it in the freezer to save it for other recipes to avoid waste)
• 3 chillies
• 2 sprigs of rosemary (optional)

Method:

1. The day before serving, roughly chop the cooking apples (you don’t need to peel or core them). Put them in a large preserving pan and add one of the chillies (sliced, seeds and all) to the water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, for around 30–45 minutes, until the apples are soft enough to crush against the side of the pan with a spoon.
2. Line a large bowl with muslin, then pour the apple mixture into the bag. Suspend the bag over the bowl and leave it to drip overnight (I tie mine onto the kitchen cupboard handles, suspended over the bowl on the worktop.
3. The next day, measure the amount of juice and pour it into a preserving pan. For every 600ml of juice, add 450g of granulated sugar. Deseed and then dice the remaining 2 chillies and add to the pan.
4. Bring the juice, sugar and chillies to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. When it has dissolved, add the lemon juice. If making the rosemary jelly, add the rosemary sprigs at this point.
5. Put a small plate in the freezer (to test for a set later).
6. Simmer the jam over high heat, skimming off any scum that forms, for around 30–45 minutes or until it has reduced and become syrupy and golden.
7. Preheat the oven to 120°C.
8. Meanwhile, sterilise your jam jars either by running the jars and lids through the dishwasher, or by washing them in hot soapy water and then putting the jars upside down in an oven for 30 minutes, and the lids in the same oven, upside down, for 5 minutes. Keep warm in the oven/dishwasher until the jam is ready.
9. Test for a set by spooning a little of the jelly onto the cold plate from the freezer and leaving for a minute. If it wrinkles when you push your finger through it, it’s ready. If not, give it 5 more minutes and test again.
10. When it’s set, turn off the heat and leave the jelly for 10 minutes before ladling it into the sterilised jars. This way the little squares of chilli will be suspended rather than floating at the top of the jars. You can remove any big pieces of rosemary from the rosemary jelly, but leave small needles – they look nice in the jar. Make sure the lids are on tightly. Leave to cool before labelling.