Medlar Recipes

3 pounds  medlars (bletted)

1 green apple

1/2 lemon

3 cups  sugar

Medlars must be “bletted”, which involves storing them in a single layer in a rather cool place, not the refrigerator, until they are soft and brown inside. They’re ready when they are very soft and squishy to the touch. Rinse and quarter the medlars, and put them in a large pot – skins, seeds, and all. Chop up the apple and add, with the seeds and core, as well. Then add the lemon half to the pot, and pour in enough water so that the medlars are floating in liquid, about 2 quarts (2l). Cook the mixture until it begins to boil, then reduce the heat and let it cook at a low boil for 45 minutes. Line a colander with several layers of cheese cloth or gauze, set it over a deep bowl, and ladle the cooked medlars and the liquid into the colander. Let it strain overnight undisturbed. Do not press down on the cooked fruit to extract more juice from it or your jelly will be cloudy.  The next day pour the liquid into a large pot – you should have about 1 quart. Put a small plate in the freezer. Add the sugar to the juice in the pot and cook the jelly until it reaches 220ºF or until it jells, which may happen a little before or after that temperature. To test the jelly, put a spoonful on the plate in the freezer and let chill a few minutes. If, once cold, it wrinkles when you push it with your finger, it’s done. If not, continue to cook the jelly until it jells. When ready, if you wish, you can offset sweetness with a few drops of fresh lemon juice. Ladle the jelly into clean jars. The jelly will keep for up to one year in the refrigerator.

For the walnut Bakewell tart:

1 packet ready-made sweet shortcrust pastry, rolled out to ¼ in thick

6 oz butter

6 oz caster sugar

4 free-range eggs

6 oz ground walnuts

4 oz bread crumbs

11 oz damson jam

12  walnut halves

9 fl oz double cream

For the roasted medlars:

2 oz butter

14 oz medlars

3 oz caster sugar

1 cinnamon stick

 

Preheat the oven to 375°F. For the tart, line a deep 9 in tart tin with the sweet shortcrust pastry. Place a sheet of baking paper or foil over the pastry and weigh down with baking beans or rice. Place the tart tin onto a baking sheet, transfer to the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the paper or foil and baking beans from the tart tin, then return to the oven for a further ten minutes until the pastry is lightly golden-brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Place the butter and sugar into a bowl and beat together until light and fluffy. Crack in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well between each addition. Add the ground walnuts and breadcrumbs and fold together until well combined. Spread two thirds of the damson jam over the base of the pastry case. Cover with the walnut filling mixture and smooth the top using a wet palette knife. Place the walnut halves around the edge of the filling. Transfer to the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until risen and golden-brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Meanwhile, in a bowl, whip the cream until soft peaks form when the whisk is removed. Fold in the remaining damson jam. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

For the roasted medlars, heat the butter in an ovenproof frying pan and fry the medlars for 1-2 minutes. Add the sugar and cinnamon stick, then transfer the pan to the oven and roast for 10-15 minutes, or until the medlars are soft and the skins have split. To serve, cut the tart into slices and place onto serving plates with a spoonful of damson cream and some roasted medlars.