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Raymond advises that the key of cooking apples depends on selecting the best selection for a specific dish – you want the correct steadiness of acidity and sweetness, and texture is necessary too.
Right here, Raymond shares 10 of his favorite varieties and the way he makes use of them.
‘Adam’s Pearmain’
This outdated dependable, English dessert apple has medium-size, barely russeted fruit. It’s harvested in October and shops for over three months. It has good illness resistance. ‘I just like the creamy flesh and wealthy nutty, nearly dry flavour,’ says Raymond.
Pollination group: 2
Greatest for: purees and tarts
‘Blenheim Orange’
This dual-purpose dessert and cooking selection will be eaten uncooked when younger or cooked when extra mature. Harvest in early October; fruits retailer for 2 or three months. Raymond says: ‘That is considered one of my favorite varieties because it has a spicy, russet flavour and could be very versatile – you should use it in so many alternative methods.’
Pollination group: 3 (triploid)
Greatest for: purees and tarts
‘Bramley’s Seedling’
This cooking apple grows on vigorous, sprawling timber, so it’s best for bigger gardens solely. Harvest in November; fruits retailer for over three months. It has good illness resistance. ‘For me that is too acidic for regular cooking, but it surely breaks down into the proper texture and flavour for purees,’ says Raymond.
Pollination group: 3
Greatest for: purees
‘Braeburn’
This dessert apple comes from New Zealand and might go right into a ‘sulk’ in cool summers, so it wants your sunniest and warmest nook. Compact, it is good for small plots. Harvest in October or November; fruits retailer for 3 months. Raymond says: ‘I like the tart, richly apple-y flavour.’
Pollination group: 4 (self fertile)
Greatest for: tarte tatin
‘Captain Kidd’
A dessert selection that’s associated to Cox’s Orange Pippin, with an identical flavour, however a lot simpler to develop. Harvest in November; fruits retailer for 2 months. ‘Fragrant and crunchy, with creamy-white flesh and an incredible flavour,’ is Raymond’s verdict.
Pollination group: 3
Greatest for: juicing and tarts
‘Cox’s Orange Pippin’
This apple has a superb flavour however is usually a little temperamental – it is relatively disease-prone and dislikes the chilly and moist. Harvest in October; fruits retailer for 3 months. ‘World class!’, says Raymond. ‘This has the perfect flavour and is the perfect for savoury dishes as a result of it is not too candy.’
Pollination group: 3
Greatest for: purees, tarts and tarte tatin
‘Granny Smith’
A dessert selection that wants an extended, scorching summer time. Harvest in October; fruits preserve for 3 months. Raymond says: ‘This has a refreshing acidity, which I like, and it additionally holds its texture rather well when sliced and cooked.’
Pollination group: 3
Greatest for: tarte tatin
‘Chivers Delight’
A dessert apple that’s straightforward to develop and shops properly, for as much as three months. Harvest in October or November. ‘I am keen on the wealthy, honey flavour of this apple, which has similarities to the Cox. And I like the way in which it ‘fluffs’ when it cooks with out disintegrating.’
Pollination group: 4
Greatest for: baking and tarts
‘Egremont Russet’
A small, russet dessert apple with agency flesh. Harvest fruits in October; they are going to retailer for 3 months. ‘This has beautiful layers of richness and acidity. The flavour is nutty and dry., and it turns into deeper when it’s saved.
Pollination group: 2
Greatest for: juicing and tarts
‘Lord Lambourne’
A dependable, compact tree, turning out heavy crops of dessert apples, 12 months after 12 months. Harvest fruits in September; they are going to preserve for 2 months. ‘I just like the steadiness of acidity and sugar, which supplies a fancy, fragrant flavour. The flesh is crisp, too.’
Pollination group: 2
Greatest for: tarts
Rising for flavour
Raymond’s head gardener, Anne Marie Owens, shares her suggestions for excellent apples:
- Selection is essential, so go to an apple day to style as many sorts as potential, and develop solely what you like.
- Go for naturally disease-resistant varieties the place potential, particularly in the event you backyard organically.
- Plant two from the identical pollination group, to enhance cropping. Or develop a self-fertile selection.
- Skinny the fruitlets in July to at least one or two per cluster, leaving the healthiest – you will get fewer fruits however they’re going to be fine quality.
- Hold an space of soil away from weeds and grass round your tree, about 1m throughout, to scale back competitors and increase progress.
- Feed timber every spring with slow-release fertiliser, resembling pelleted poultry manure.
- Depart late varieties on the tree for so long as potential to mature the flavour.
- Apples are absolutely ripe after they come away with a delicate twist.
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