Here are the recipes, requested by listeners during the chat with Mel Bush yesterday morning.

Rhubarb Jam

1.4kg rhubarb, washed and diced

100g (cored weight) Granny Smith apple (or other cooking apple) – coarsely grated (note that skin is left on)

Juice 2 lemons

¼ cup water

1.5kg sugar

Method

Place the rhubarb, apple, lemon juice and water in a large saucepan or jam pan.

Cook over gentle heat until the rhubarb is very soft, stirring often.

Stir in the sugar and increase heat.  Bring to the boil, stirring, and then boil quite briskly for 20 minutes, stirring often.

After this time, test for set by placing a little of the jam on a cold saucer and place in the freezer until the jam is very cold, then drag your fingertip through the cold mixture.  If it leaves a definite trail and the surface crinkles, the jam has reached setting point.

If this is the case, pour jam into warm sterilised jars and seal immediately.

Hint

If jam has not reached setting point, cook for 10 minutes more and repeat the test (take the jam off the heat while you do this). If it still doesn’t set, consider adding a little pectin powder, the sort that sets jam, available at supermarkets. (I usually add about 1 tablespoonful.)  Stir pectin in, bring jam back to the boil and then boil 5 minutes more.

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Sweet Shortcrust Pastry

125g dairy free spread

125g sugar

1 egg

125g plain flour

125g self raising flour

Method

Whisk the dairy spread and sugar together, then whisk in the egg until well combined.

Mix in the well combined flours with a metal spoon to make a soft dough. Wrap in cling wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before using.

Variations

• The recipe can be made with gluten free flour
• Egg can be substituted with 2 to 3 tablespoons aquafaba (liquid from a can of chick peas)

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Latticed apple shortcake

1 batch sweet shortcrust pastry (as above)

750g apples

80ml water

Juice 1 lemon

Sugar to taste

1 tablespoon cornflour

Method

For the apple filling

Peel and core apples and then dice.  Place in a pot with the water.  Bring to the boil, stirring often and then simmer until the fruit is tender, stirring occasionally.  Stir in sugar to taste.

Prepare a thin paste of cornflour mixed to a thin paste with approximately 2 tablespoons water.

Stir this into the simmering fruit mixture and continue cooking until the mixture thickens to a custard-like consistency.  Leave until completely cold before using in the shortcake.

To assemble

Grease a lamington style tin 18cm x 28cm approximately (sides need to be at least 3cm deep).

Roll out half the pastry and place in base (if it’s a bit hard to roll, just press it in).

Spread the apple filling over.

Roll out the remaining third of pastry and cut into strips and place decoratively over the apples. If this is a bit tricky, try cutting out shapes such as rounds or hearts and placing over the apples.

Hint

• Other fruits can be used, and stewed fruit you have on hand is great, just be sure to thicken it or it will make the base soggy.
• An extra step for preventing a soggy base is to brush with a little whisked egg white (or cornflour paste if you have egg intolerance or allergy).

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