Crab Apples

Crab apples are the older brother of today’s cultivated larger apples, with the trees often found in old woodlands. The fruit is generally no bigger than a golf ball and is too tart to eat raw, but has such a strong apple flavour that it makes perfect jellies and jams.

Other varieties of “wild apple” are also often called crab apples, but these are often descended from cultivated apples rather than being species in their own right. Regardless, all can be used for the same purpose.

I’m fond of using these in jellies – of the preserve rather than desert variety – as the high pectin level makes them perfect. They’re great mixed with other berries such as rose hips or rowans. I also have a large fermenting bucket in the kitchen with in progress crab apple wine!

Note, “crab apples” are also known as “crabapples” outside of Europe.