Harvesting Medlars
Medlar fruit
Question ...
My Medlar tree has produced a bumper crop this year, I have never used the fruits before, can you advise me on when to pick them and give me some recipes for using the fruits?
Answer ...
Medlar fruits are unusual both in appearance and in their ripening habits. They are very hard and inedible until they start to decay. They will rarely reach this stage by themselves on the tree and need to be harvested as late as possible in November . They should be left in a box in a cool dry place until they turn a dark reddish brown and become soft and juicy. This ripening process is known as "bletting" the medlars. They can then be used to make jams, jellies and medlar cheese, see recipes below.
Medlar Jelly
- 1lb medlars
- ¼ pint water
- sugar
- juice ½ lemon
Simmer fruit and water until soft. Strain through a jelly bag.
Measure juice, allow 1lb sugar to 1pint juice. Stir in sugar and lemon juice.
Boil rapidly until set.With such a small quantity you won't waste much if
you don't like it.
Medlar cheese
Put some Medlars into a pyrex bowl, stand it in a saucepan with boiling water nearly to the top and keep it boiling gently over a slow heat. When the Medlars are quite soft, pass them through a fine sieve, and weigh the pulp, and for every pound allow one and a half breakfast cups of coarsely crushed sugar and half a teaspoonful of allspice. Put all the ingredients together in a preserving pan, and stir them over the heat with a wooden spoon until thickly reduced, skimming occasionally. Turn the cheese into moulds, and keep them in a cold place. When ready to serve, turn the cheeses out of the moulds on to a dish.
Medlar Fudge
Makes about 4lbs
- 2lbs medlars
- 2 small lemons
- 3 cloves
- 1pint apple cider
- 2lb light brown sugar
- Honey or maple syrup to taste, cream and macaroons to serve.
- Wash and chop fruit, add cloves and cider.
- Simmer until fruit is soft.
- Sieve and weigh the pulp.
- Add three quarters of its weight in sugar and bring back to boil, then bottle and seal.
- When required, whip the fruit cheese with honey or maple syrup until soft, spoon into bowls and top with whipped cream and broken macaroons.
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