Enjoy delicious apple recipes

It makes me feel good seeing the larger cider manufacturers using our own local produce. They showed on film the apples being gathered from the orchards using natty machines. This made me feel really old, as it seemed so different to the days when we picked up our apples.

My father use to beat the branches with a long stick and the apples would come tumbling down. Then, as children, we would fill large wicker baskets we dragged to the waiting Hessian sacks resting against the trunk of the tree. We were told not to miss any, as they would upset the milking cows allowed in the fields once we had left.

We liked picking up Morgan Sweets best as they were nice and large and we could take a bite out of them to help ease the boredom. The smaller cider apples use to be a real pain. This task we did for a few pence which we later spent at Glastonbury fair.

The gatherings of the Bramley apples were completely different as they were hand picked from the trees and treated like Dresden. In large baskets they were carried up into the attic where they were carefully placed on old newspaper. Again things have changed, as now they are more likely to be found in the freezer rather than the attic! So let's enjoy them now and make the surplus into dishes for another day.

APPLE SNOW

This is an old recipe always taught at school and in colleges. It so easy it doesn't need a detailed recipe. Whisk an egg white till stiff and fold it into half a pint of cooled sweetened apple puree. That is the basic recipe but you can add a tablespoon of thick cream to the puree before the egg white and it does make a great difference.

APPLE SORBET

This is a grown up version of Apple Snow. It is ideal if served as one of the courses in a dinner party when it comes before the main course. 1 lbs apple pure Juice of 1 lemon 1 - 2 tablespoons caster sugar 1 egg white, whipped To serve: Apple juice or Somerset Royal cider brandy 1. Blend the lemon juice into the apple pure, sweeten to taste (do not make it too sweet), and stir in the egg white. 2. If you have a sorbetire, freeze the mixture until it is firm. If you haven't, place the apple mixture in a freezer, and after 20 minutes take it out and give it a good stir. Return it to the freezer taking it out every 20 minutes, stirring again. (This is necessary to break down the ice crystals.) 3. Remove from the freezer half an hour before serving. Serve a scoop of the sorbet in a goblet into which you have placed either a tablespoon of apple juice and 1 tablespoon of Somerset Royal cider brandy. (Makes one litre of sorbet)

APPLE SNOWBALLS

Another old favourite that not only looks good but makes any excellent children's sweet. 4 small Bramley apples 2 bananas, mashed 4 teaspoons soft brown sugar 2 egg whites 4 oz caster sugar 1. Peel the apples, and core them, but leave them whole. Place in a small pan with enough water to reach half way up them. Bring to the boil and cook for two minutes, then turn them over, and cook for another two minutes. They must be soft, but still hold their shape. Drain well, and allow to cool slightly. 2. Place the apples on a buttered baking tray. Fill each one with a little banana and one teaspoon of brown sugar, and top with a little more banana. 3. Make the meringue by whisking the egg whites until stiff, and then carefully folding in the caster sugar. Smother the apples with this mixture to resemble snowballs. 4. Bake in a preheated oven (Gas Mark 6/200C/400F) for eight minutes, or until the meringue has set but not started to brown. Serve at once. (Serves four)

SOMERSET APPLE CAKE

This is the best county's apple cake. The only problem is this cake doesn't keep too well. 12 oz Self Raising Flour a pinch of salt 8 oz margarine/butter teaspoon cinnamon 6 oz caster sugar 4 oz sultanas 1 lb finely chopped cooking apples 3 eggs a little milk a little Demerara Sugar 1. Rub the fat into the flour and salt. Add the sugar and cinnamon. Make a well in the mixture and drop in the egg and fruit. Mix well; if the dough is a little too stiff, add some milk. 2. Place in an eight inch greased cake tin, and sprinkle a little Demerara sugar on the top. 3. Bake for one and a half - two hours, in a moderate oven (Gas Mark 4/180C/350F). Allow to cool slightly before turning out onto a cooling rack.

HUNGARIAN APPLE PIE

I was looking for more of my apple recipes when I came across this old favourite. 12 oz sweet pastry 7 oz plain flour 5 oz fat 1 oz caster sugar 1 egg yolk Filling 2 oz soft brown sugar teaspoon cinnamon oz butter 1 lb cooking apples 2 oz sultanas Glaze Egg and milk 1. Make the pastry, and line a shallow nine inch dish with half of it. 2. Peel, core and slice the apples. 3. Mix the sultanas, soft brown sugar and cinnamon in a basin. 4. Arrange a layer of apples on the pastry. Pour over the brown sugar mixture and top with dots of butter. 5. Arrange the remaining apple slices on top. Cover with the remaining pastry. Brush on the egg glaze. 6. Bake for 40 minutes in the oven at 190C / 375F / Gas Mark 5. (Serves 4 - 6)

TIPSY PORK CHOPS

Here again are apples and pork together but with the addition of cider 4 loin pork chops 1 sliced onion pint cider 2 sliced cooking apples 1 teaspoon made mustard 1 tablespoon flour 2ozs (50g) butter teaspoon mixed herbs salt and black pepper 1. Melt the butter and fry the chops on both sides until they are well sealed and golden. Spread the mustard on one side and keep the chops warm. 2. In the remaining butter fry the chopped onions and when golden stir in the flour. Cook for a few minutes before pouring in the cider. Add the herbs and cook until the sauce begins to thicken. 3. Place the chops in an ovenproof dish. Lay the sliced apples on top and pour over the sauce. Cook them in an oven Gas Mark 4, 180C, 350F for 25 minutes or until brown and thoroughly cooked. (Serves 4)

Frances Kitchin can be heard on Thursday afternoons with Adam Thomas on BBC Somerset Sound (1566 kHz / 192m).