What to do with the bumper crop of apples

I've had a surfeit of apples this year and I don't even have an apple tree!

I've lightly stewed some of the apples and frozen them for later on in the winter.

If you have somewhere cool to store them, you could simply do this. www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=595

cider ?

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We make cider but you need a press. Apple juice can be frozen and apple wine is easy to make but you need a good recipe and a demi-john. Before we had the press we used to mix apple wine with slimline tonic for a refreshing drink on a hot day.

we've a 5 gallon batch of Apple wine on the go ,as well as two 5 gallon batches of Bramble .Shame I dont drink anymore .

I love apple juice but hate cider. Apple juice sounds delicious merlot

Call me stupid ......( “stupid”) but what’s the difference between apple wine and apple cider ? Might I like apple wine if I hate cider but love apple juice ?

We have made apple wine with apples and fermented it like a wine. It tastes like any other home made fruit or herb wine. With cider you crush apples to remove the juice and then leave the juice to ferment.

There is a difference, believe me, but whether hating one you would enjoy the other I just do not know.

We make juice, cider and wine from apples. The wine has extra sugar and wine yeast added so has more alcohol.

A few years ago, when I saw how many apples we had I invested in a press. It produces better juice than the electric juicer machines. The juice can be drunk fresh or frozen or pasteurised by heating. If kept for a few days in the fridge it will start to ferment, but the fizz makes it very nice, before it really turns to cider.

Spiced apple chutney used up quite a lot and is nice. It will be given away at Christmas (sorry for using the 'C' word before the end of October.)

My mum used to wrap each fruit (cookers similar to but sweeter than Bramleys) in newspaper and pack them carefully in cardboard boxes, which were then kept in a cool place.

She'd be making the last few apple pies in March the following year.

I bottle surplus fruit, although the outlay on Kilner or similar jars is only worthwhile if you do it most years.
Pears are poached in wine or cider, but apples just plain and used for crumbles mostly, but apple sauce as well.
I started doing this as I struggle now to keep apples as Baggs has described. Our lovely modern house is too warm, and they attract mice if kept in the shed or porch (next door's cat is now too slow and I am allergic to cats!)

In the good old days when nothing was wasted my Mother used to make apple chutney, apple wine, pies, crumbles etc., had apples coming out of our ears.

Our local animal rescue centre appreciates windfall apples and veggies for their rescue chickens, pigs, goats, etc.

I run a plant and produce stall outside my front gate here in rural East Anglia and I get lots of windfall apples as well as picked fruit donated. I just put them outside with a supply of paper and plastic bags and ask for a donation in aid of our local Hospice.

Some people just put a box of apples outside their gate with a note saying FREE help yourself.

Similarly to NfkDumpling's suggestion I give bags of apples to a needy family in the village and to another lady who makes pies for all her elderly neighbours.

I used to do the same as Baggs Mum - wrap in newspaper and store in a cool place. If you have room.
You need to check they don't have any damage first.

What a brilliant idea chocolatepudding well done you !

nfk, your post reminded me that nowadays my brother puts windfall apples from mum's tree with the empty milk bottles. The milkgirl's pigs love them ?

Monica does the colour of the apple skins affect the colour of the wine? I have a lot of red apples in my batch and had hoped to get a rose ,am I wrong?

Do let us know, paddyann. Our mix is Bramley, Egremont Russet, Golden Delicious, Crispin and Cox. None of them red skinned and our wine and cider is always a pale golden colour.

I don't think the skin colour affects the colour of the wine but I could be wrong.

Gramaretto, why not offer your surplus apples on Freegle or Freecycle? There's almost certain to be someone who can use them.

Thanks for all the wonderful suggestions. Glad I asked. I think I will offer them for free as I don't think I can make wine or cider now and storing them is a bit risky.

Last autumn I made a lot of Apple butter using a recipe off the internet and froze it using yoghurt pots.
Once frozen I slid it from the pots and used the same pots to freeze another batch. Just put the frozen portions into freezer bags. Delicious on toast, also as a relish for cold meats. I still have some in the freezer.

Chocolate pudding, what a lovely idea. Here in East London, someone put quinces outside their door and I made quince jelly out of it.
Yes have loads of apples, must get on to storing them and making chutney.

Cider vinegar! Loads of recipes for it on line