Highland Bramble Jelly

Name: Highland Bramble Jelly
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: Scottish
Ingredients: 1000 g wild brambles; 450 g bramley cooking apples; 300 ml cold water; 30 ml Fresh lemon juice; 750 g granulated white sugar; 10 g Unsalted butter; 1 piece Cinnamon stick; 2 pieces whole cloves

A gleaming, ruby-red preserve made from wild Scottish blackberries and tart cooking apples. Perfect spread on warm buttered bannocks or paired with roast venison.

🇬🇧United Kingdom· Highlands

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 45 min
Total: 65 min
Servings: 12
Difficulty: Medium
Calories: 145 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 8 gathered

Servings

1000 g wild brambles — freshly picked blackberries, rinsed and drained
450 g bramley cooking apples — unpeeled and un-cored, roughly chopped
300 ml cold water — for simmering fruit
30 ml Fresh lemon juice — from about one small lemon
750 g granulated white sugar — measure 450 g per 600 ml of strained juice
10 g Unsalted butter — to disperse froth at the end
1 piece Cinnamon stick — whole quill for gentle spicing
2 pieces whole cloves — for subtle warmth

Equipment

•Large preserving pan or heavy saucepan
•Jelly bag with stand (or clean scalded muslin square)
•Potato masher
•Sterilised glass jars with lids
•Sugar thermometer
•Heatproof jug

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 145 kcal
fat: 0.4 g
carbs: 36 g
fibre: 1.2 g
protein: 0.5 g
calories: 145 kcal

Instructions

1
Rinse the brambles and discard any stems, leaves, or bruised berries.
2
Chop the apples roughly into small pieces, leaving the skins and cores intact for extra pectin.
3
Put the brambles, apples, water, lemon juice, cinnamon stick, and cloves into a large preserving pan.
4
Bring the pan to a simmer over medium heat on the hob.
5
Cook gently for twenty minutes, crushing the softening fruit with a potato masher to release the juices.
6
Pour the cooked fruit pulp into a scalded jelly bag suspended over a large clean bowl.
7
Leave the mixture to drip undisturbed for at least four hours without squeezing the bag.
8
Measure the collected clear juice and pour it back into the clean preserving pan.
9
Add four hundred and fifty grams of granulated sugar for every six hundred millilitres of strained juice.
10
Heat slowly, stirring continuously until the sugar crystals have completely dissolved.
11
Bring to a rapid rolling boil until the thermometer reads one hundred and five degrees Celsius.
12
Remove from the heat, stir in the butter to clear surface scum, and ladle into warm sterilised jars.

Chef's tips

Never squeeze or press the jelly bag while it drips, as pushing pulp through will make your finished jelly cloudy. Keep two small saucers in the freezer to test the set by placing a drop of hot jelly on the cold plate and pushing it with your finger to see if it wrinkles.

Ingredient substitutions

Bramley cooking apples → tart Granny Smith apples or crab apples
unsalted butter → plant-based butter block to make the preserve strictly dairy-free and vegan

Storage

Store sealed jars in a cool, dark cupboard for up to twelve months, and keep refrigerated after opening for up to six weeks.

Reheating

Serve at room temperature directly from the jar without reheating.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Squeezing the straining cloth, which forces fruit solids through and clouds the jelly.
•Boiling the jelly before all the sugar crystals have fully dissolved, causing crystallisation.
•Discarding the apple peel and core, which contain the highest concentration of setting pectin.

Serving suggestions

Spread generously over warm Scottish drop scones or toasted girdle bannocks.Serve alongside roast venison, game pies, or roasted pork loin.Dollop onto traditional Scottish morning porridge with a splash of double cream.