Medlar Jelly

[Milims]

I was wondering that too Fee!!
As it happens I have a couple in the fridge - and yes they do fit pskippers description!!
Are they also called persimmons - or are they something else altogether?

[ohareward]

Hi Milims. I think persimmons are a tropical fruit which are large and red when ripe.
Robin

[Thomzo]

Hi
Persimmons are different. I think they have a shiny orange skin whereas medlars are dark brown/green with a skin a bit like moleskin. The have the big flower bit at the bottom which is where the get the French name of dog's arse from.

Bletting is the ripening process. You can't eat them until they have gone soft - basically they have to rot down a bit before you can eat them. They go a rather yukky brown colour inside. They do make very pretty jelly though as it goes a rich amber.

Zoe

[the.fee.fairy]

When are medlars ready to use? I've jsut found out that some friends of my dad have a tree in their garden. I'm welcome to the harvest as long as i give them a pot of jelly!

[Millymollymandy]

After they have 'bletted'. That is when a really hard frost or several lighter frosts have turned the hard fruit to squidgy inside! The skin looks 'wet' at this point too. Try googling for some photos.

[Thomzo]

Hi Fee
I was advised to pick in October and leave until Christmas but I think that advice may be a bit out of date now. As 3M's says. Pick in Autumn after the first frosts.

My tree is just about to come into flower so I might try to get some photos.

Zoe

[Silver Ether]

bletting ... you put the fruit in a box between layers of straw and leave till the fruit Rots ... sounds horrid but its wonderful ...

[Silver Ether]

Hears a couple of recipies from my friend and they work ...cant find the jelly one . grrrrrrrrrrrr best have a good look round ...

Tart
1lb medlars (used to just chuck them all in)
large tsp each Cinnamon and ground ginger
about 4oz of castor sugar
2 egg yolks
a partially-cooked pastry flan/tart case (cooked blind)

Method
Gently cook the medlars in a doublepan until soft. Strain the medlars through a fine sieve before adding the rest of the ingrediants, place in a double pan of hotwater and bring gently to the boil, stirring all the time. When it starts to thicken well (gloopy thick) pour into pastry case, lattice with pastry strips and cook in oven for about halfhour (gas mark 6), let cool to finish setting.
really nice with vanilla cream


Medlar Cheese
1lb medlars (heated gently in doublepan and sieved - don't cook them though :D)
8 oz roughly crushed loaf sugar (natural cane brown sugar cubes work as well)
1 tsp allspice

method
place all ingrediants in a preserving pan and heat, whilst stirring continously with a wooden spoon reduce the 'cheese' down until it's really thick (you might have to skim excess floaty bits off whilst stirring)
When ready turn the 'cheese' into small individual moulds and placing in a cold place to set. Once set turn out and serve - they're good with cold meats and dairy cheeses

[Thomzo]

Ooooh the Medlar tart sounds really nice. Sort of treacle tart but with the honey flavour of the medlar juice. I will definitely try that one.

Thanks

[Silver Ether]

Found the jelly recipe...

Medlar Jelly
Ingredients:
1lb Medlars – …Bletted
1/4 pint water
sugar
juice 1/2 lemon
Method.
• Chop the fruit, don't worry about peeling, just throw everything in to the pan, add the water and simmer until soft.
• Strain through a jelly bag, in to a measuring jug
• Add the sugar, allowing 1lb sugar to 1pint juice
• Stir in sugar and lemon juice
• Boil rapidly until set - to test drop a teaspoon of the mixture on to a saucer, allow to cool and then drag your finger over the surface, if a skin has formed the jelly is ready
• Delicious as a Jelly with Meat or Game

[Thomzo]

Ooooh, thanks for that. I've been looking at the medlar tree and trying to decide whether to pick or not. Everything else has been so early that I suspect the medlars are too. If I leave them too long the pesky squirrels get them.

I've got one quince on the tree so that means another batch of vegetarian mincemeat too.

Zoe