Spiced Porridge with Caramelised Bramley Apples | Rebel Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between a Granny Smith and a bramley apple? ›

A Bramley apple is one variety of cooking apples; there are many others, such as the Golden Delicious or Granny Smith. Like the Bramley apple, Granny Smith apples tend to be a green colour although the Bramley apple variety often has red flecks on its skin.

Bramley's contain a high level of pectin, so set easily and make excellent jellies, fruit cheeses, chutneys and mincemeat. Use when cooking with fruit that's lower in pectin such as in rowanberries or rosehips to help them set. Bramley's thick skins also mean they bake well.

Put in a smallish pan, add a splash of cold water and cover with a lid (it will cook much quicker with a lid) and cook on a medium to low heat giving the apples a stir every now and then until completely soft. Serve warm or cold.

The Bramley is almost exclusively a British variety; however, it is also grown in Ireland. Bramleys are produced by a few United States farms, and can be found in Canada, Australia and Japan. The town of Southwell hosts many celebrations of the Bramley Apple, including the Bramley Apple Festival launched in 2011.

In 1846 the cottage was bought by Mathew Bramley, a local butcher and innkeeper. The fine cooking apples which the tree produced came to the attention of Henry Merryweather, a young local nurseryman who was given permission to propagate seedlings from the tree on the condition that he named it after its owner.

So what makes Scottish oats different from regular rolled oats? It's not a different variety: rather, instead of being steamed and rolled like regular American oats, Scottish oats are slowly ground between two millstones, producing a smooth texture, more like a traditional porridge.

Bramley apples contain high acidity and low sugar, creating a tart, sour, and tangy flavor. When slightly underripe, the apples are notably sour and are primarily used in cooked preparations.

Cooking apples such as Bramley apples can be eaten raw, and will do you no harm. However, they are well known for their sharp taste when uncooked. Some people enjoy the taste, in which case, Bramley apples can be enjoyed uncooked as a healthy one of your five a day.

The closest substitute that would be commonly available is the Granny Smith. It doesn't cook up as fluffy as a Bramly but has a similar flavor—very tart, hardly ever eaten raw.

How long do Bramley apples last? ›

Late Bramley apples will keep for at least four or five weeks before fruit is ready for cooking or consumption. Depending on the variety, Bramley apples picked early will keep for several months, if the fruit are treated correctly and wise storage employed.

The recipe includes cooking apples (Bramleys) as these are sharp and have a good level of pectin, which helps the chutney to thicken. If you can't find cooking apples then a sharp green eating/regular apple is the best alternative and we usually suggest using Granny Smith apples.

Some recipes say up to 250g of sugar for a kilo of apples (weighed after peeling and slicing). That's way too much. 100g – ie 10 per cent – is perfect. The result is pleasingly tart and sherbety and plenty sweet enough.

The recipe includes cooking apples (Bramleys) as these are sharp and have a good level of pectin, which helps the chutney to thicken. If you can't find cooking apples then a sharp green eating/regular apple is the best alternative and we usually suggest using Granny Smith apples.

Mutsu. Also known as Crispin apples, this super-tart green apple is similar to Granny Smith apples and is the best choice for salads and slaws due to its crisp texture and tangy flavor.

Royal Gala

Britain's favourite apple with stripy red skin, a crisp bite and delivering a wonderfully sweet flavour.

The Granny Smith, also known as a green apple or sour apple, is an apple cultivar that originated in Australia in 1868. It is named after Maria Ann Smith, who propagated the cultivar from a chance seedling.