Prep 30 mins | Cooking time approx. 1 hour 45 mins.
Whether you are looking to liven up that after dinner cheeseboard, wishing to impress at a Boxing Day buffet or wanting to give a unique, homemade gift, then a sharp, tangy chutney won’t go amiss. It may take a little time to prepare, but the results are well worth it. Store in spring clip jars and whether you enjoy it by heaping it on cheese and biscuits, serving as a fruity dip or using it to liven up that leftover turkey sandwich, home-made chutney is delicious
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Ingredients.
250g apples
400g pears
2cm piece of fresh root ginger, peeled and very finely chopped
50g dried apricots, quartered
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75g sultanas
200g Demerara sugar
250ml cider vinegar
½ tbsp wholegrain mustard
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½ tsp ground cinnamon
Method.
- Peel the apples and pears with a vegetable peeler and use a sharp knife to core and cut the fruit into small bite size chunks. Don’t cut them too small, or they will turn into mush during the cooking. Store the chopped fruit in a large bowl of cold water whilst preparing them to avoid them going brown.
- Place all of the chopped fruit into a large pan along with the ginger, apricots, sultanas, sugar, vinegar and cinnamon
- Add the mustard and heat the mixture gently, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Continue cooking for around 90 minutes, until you have a thick, syrupy texture.
- Spoon the chutney into sterilised, warmed jars, taking care not to trap any air in the chutney as you put it in the jars. There are a number of options to sterilize your jars. Use a baby bottle sterilizer (such as Milton fluid / tablets); place the jars in a steamer or (after removing any rubber seals on the jars) place in a low oven (140c/275F/Gas Mark 1) for about half an hour
- Cover the top of the chutney using cling film and leave to cool. Once sealed in your jar, store your chutney in a cool dark place.
- Your chutney will taste best if you leave it to mature for a month and will keep for up to six months in the fridge.
