It’s Bramley Apple week

Oh yes it is, between 6-13 February is a celebration of the versatility of the world’s best cooking apple. The Bramley Campaign has enlisted the culinary talents and expertise of the BBC’s Great British Menu winner, Mark Hix, to develop some delicious recipes to coincide with Bramley Apple Week.

My Mum and Grandma both use to bake and apple pies were a weekly staple. Following on with tradition I like to do the American thing and add cinnamon. I do sometimes cheat and buy puff pastry, but whichever way we choose to make our pies. That just out of the oven smell, is hard to beat.

At the moment I am reading Mrs Marshall’s The Book of Ices from 1885. Mrs Marshall was the Victorian version of Delia Smith, not as well know as Mrs Beeton. But a truly inspirational lady. Here’s her recipe for apple ice cream made with custard.

Apple Cream Ice

Peel and cut up 2 pounds of apples, put them on the stove with half a pint of water, a little piece of cinnamon, the peel of half a lemon along with the juice of a whole lemon. Cook quickly until reduced to a puree, then sieve and mix with 1 pint of sweetened cream or 1 pint of custard. Then freeze stirring every hour or so.

If  you do decide to bake this week with Mr Bramley, I hope it’s a great success.