Apple - Beetroot Jam

Hola - It’s the happiest season of the year… as Christmas is just around the corner and the true magic of Christmas is  Love, Joy, Togetherness, Kindness and Care…..

Apple plays a significant role during festivals … as is considered to be an image of paradise that symbolises Joy and apples being winter fruit has made its way into so many winter holiday traditions. 

During Christmas,  stockings use to  be filled with apples and oranges, over the time now the stockings are filled with different goodies, but still today the toe of the stocking is filled with an apple or an orange. Apples are given as gifts in Eastern European culture, men have traditionally given girls a decorated apple as a romantic gesture during Yuletide (Christmas time). In China many young people have developed a tradition of giving gift wrapped apple on Christmas Eve as they say in Chinese language the word for Christmas Eve and Apple almost sounds the same meaning Peaceful / Safe night. 

Apples and Honey is a traditional dish served by Ashkenazi Jews on Rosh Hashanah - The Jewish new year. A blessing is said in Hebrew for Sweet New Year. The apple is dipped in honey and eaten. Apples have been a part of the Christmas decoration too. 

- Net source 

So let’s make Apple- Beetroot Jam this Christmas- 

Ingredients 

1 1/2 kg Apples boiled 

1 Big Beetroot boiled and grated 

Juice of 2 Oranges or juice of 1 big Lemon 

1 tbsp grated Ginger 

1 tsp Salt

750 grams of Sugar 

2 Star Anise 

1 stick of Cinnamon 

Method 

Take the boiled apples, remove the peel,  the core and seeds of the apple, blend the apple and strain the pulp through a wire mesh strainer. Take a heavy bottom pot, add the apple pulp, orange juice or lemon juice, a bottle of water, star anise, cinnamon, ginger and salt. Stir and let the pulp simmer on medium to low flame, stir occasionally. Gradually remove the jam foam that gathers on the top of the liquid. Once done add the beetroot. Continue to simmer the until the liquid has thickened. To test if the jam is ready, place a small spoonful onto a cold plate. Wait for 2 minutes or keep the plate back in the fridge for few minutes, the jam will hold its shape, incase the jam is still runny then continue to cook. Once done cool the 

Jam, while still warm, keep the jam in a clean sterilised glass bottles. This portion makes 6 bottles of jam. This jam is good to pair with bread butter, bacon and ham. The jam stay good for a year when refrigerated. 

Apple and Beetroot Spread

 

Ingredients 

1 1/2 kg Apples peeled and cut into pieces 

2 Oranges cut and seeds removed

1 Beetroot peeled and cut into small star shape

Some Mint leaves

1/2 tsp Grated Ginger 

Sugar equal quantity as the pulp got from the apples

1/2 tsp Salt

1 Stick Cinnamon 

1 Star Anise

Method 

Boil the Beetroot stars with a tbsp sugar and little water for 5 minutes, discard the juice and keep the Beetroot stars aside. 

Take the Apple pieces and Oranges… blend them into a pulp. Strain the pulp through a strainer. Take a pot, add the pulp, salt, sugar, cinnamon and star anise.. let the ingredients simmer and cook until it reduces. Stir occasionally. To check, take a small plate, pour few drops of the spread. The spread shouldn’t be runny. Once done, switch of the flame.. add the grated ginger, Beetroot stars and mint leaves.. stir.. while warm, pour the spread in a glass jar. Let it cool, then close the lid, this stay good in the fridge for about 8 months.. 

Honey and Apple Bundt Cake....

This is an eggless tea time cake. Honey and apples are the key ingredients. It's healthy and good for children. It can be served as evening snacks or packed in lunch boxes. This recipe is with love from my kitchen. Please do try it out and share your reviews with me. 

Ingredients

2 Apples peeled and grated

1/2 cup Honey

150 ml Milk

2 tbsp Vinegar

1 tsp Vanilla Essence 

3/4 cup Oil

2 cups Whole Wheat Flour

1/2 cup Brown Sugar

1/4 cup Caster Sugar

1 tsp Baking Powder

1 tsp Soda bicarbonate

1/2 tsp Cinnamon powder

1/4 tsp Nutmeg powder

1/4 tsp Salt

Method

Grease the Bundt pan with oil and keep it aside. Sieve cinnamon powder, nutmeg powder, baking powder, soda bicarbonate and flour together. Take another bowl and add honey, oil, vanilla essence, vinegar and milk together and whisk it. Add brown and castor sugar and whisk it again till the sugar dissolves.

Gradually add the dry ingredient little at a time and whisk the batter well. Add the apples and mix it. Pour the batter into the bundt pan, fill the batter only upto ¾ level of the pan. Tap the pan gently. Bake the cake at 180 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes. Insert a toothpick deep into the cake. If it comes out clean, the cake is done. Cool the cake for 15 minutes and gently remove it from the pan. Cool it further before frosting.

For Icing

Ingredients

1 cup Icing Sugar

1 tsp Vanilla Essence

1 tbsp Milk

Method

Sieve the icing sugar into a mixing bowl. Add vanilla essence and milk into the icing sugar. Whisk it till the icing is thick in consistency.

Pour the icing into a disposable piping bag. Cut the tip of the piping bag and pour the icing over the cake. Allow icing to dry completely before slicing and serving.

P.S. If you don't have a bundt pan then you can use any other baking tin.