My top five tips for cooking with apples

Antony Worrall Thompson gives us his five top tips for cooking with apples!

I’m Antony Worrall Thompson and this February, I’m urging everyone to put Bramley apples on their shopping list.

The Bramley apple is one of my best-loved ingredients and deserves to be part of our recipes, and part of our heritage.

I grow my own Bramleys in the orchard at my home in Henley-on-Thames and I always make sure they are on the menu at The Greyhound Pub and my Windsor and Kew Grills.

Here are my top five tips for cooking with Bramley apples:

1. Choose an apple with flavour and texture

Bramleys keep their flavour when you cook them (due to their higher acid content and lower sugar levels) and also reduce to a lovely, mushy texture so they are perfect for apple sauce.

2. Be adventurous

Bramley apples are also extremely versatile, so don’t just think desserts – I’ve used them for breakfast in pancakes with pork sausages.

3. Experiment with fillings

Try mixing Bramleys with citrus zests, caster sugar and nutmeg for an apple crumble filling with a difference.

4. Start a new trend

Rather than serve an apple sauce with pork or duck, partner with large, whole Bramleys, stuffed with a mixture of white breadcrumbs, onions, butter, parsley and sage.

5. Jazz up your jellies and chutneys

The tart/sweet flavour of Bramleys makes them perfect for homemade jellies and chutneys. I put a pinch of chilli flakes in my jelly for added ‘oomph’!

Take part in Bramley Apple Week

To mark ‘Bramley Apple Week’ (February 6th to 13th), I’m adding a delicious Bramley Tarte Tatin with Toffee Sauce to my restaurant menu.

Long live the Bramley, I say!

Also worth your attention:

Recipe - Bramley Apple Snow

Recipe - Baked apples with rhubarb crumble