Preserves

If, like me, you like to make small amounts of preserves, you will enjoy making them in your slow cooker. There's none of the steam that's normally associated with the process, there's no need to watch the pot carefully and there's little chance of the ingredients 'catching' on the bottom and burning.

In these recipes, the gentle, slow cooking produces the most delicious fruit curds, butters and preserves, as well as savoury relishes and pickled vegetables.


Slow-cooked Lemon and Lime Curd

The citrus tang of this home-made curd is far superior to anything shop-bought. You can replace the limes with two more small lemons to make lemon curd, or with one small orange to make lemon and orange curd. Don't cook directly in the slow cooker as it will curdle.

MAKES 1 KG/2¼ LB

100 g/4 oz/½ cup butter
450 g/1 lb/2 cups caster (superfine) sugar
Finely grated zest and juice of
2 lemons
Finely grated zest and juice of 2 limes
4 eggs, lightly beaten


  1. Preheat the slow cooker on High.
  2. Put the butter, sugar and citrus zests and juice into a pan and heat gently, stirring, until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved. Leave to cool.
  3. Beat the eggs into the cooled mixture and strain into a 1.2 litre/2 pt/5 cup basin or soufflé dish.
  4. Cover securely with foil and put into the slow cooker. Pour in sufficient boiling water to come halfway up the side of the dish.
  5. Cover and cook on Low for 3-4 hours until thick. If possible, stir once or twice after the first 1½ hours.
  6. Pour into warm, sterilised jars and seal.
  7. Store in the refrigerator and use within 1 month.


Traditional Spiced Apple and Date Relish

The long, slow cooking produces a relish that is good enough to eat straight away - no waiting for months for it to mature. Don't be put off by the number of ingredients - it really is simple to make! This makes a fairly large quantity but it will keep for absolutely ages.

MAKES ABOUT 1.2 KG/2½ LB

700 g/1½ lb cooking (tart) apples, peeled, cored and chopped
225 g/8 oz stoned (pitted) dates, chopped
225 g/8 oz onions, finely chopped
350 g/12 oz/1½ cups soft light brown sugar
175 g/6 oz/1 cup sultanas (golden raisins)
150 ml/¼ pt/2/3 cup white or red wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
5 ml/1 tsp salt
2.5 ml/½ tsp white mustard seeds
2.5 ml/½ tsp ground allspice
2.5 ml/½ tsp ground ginger
A pinch of ground cloves
A pinch of chilli powder


  1. Put all the ingredients in the slow cooker and stir well.
  2. Cover and cook on Low for 7-10 hours, stirring occasionally after the first 2 hours.
  3. Stir well before spooning into warm, sterilised jars.
  4. Use within 3 months.


Apricot Preserve with Orange Liqueur

I like to use this in all sorts of ways, not just spread on toast but also spooned over ice-cream, folded into whipped cream or as a scrumptious filling for sponges and meringues. Don't be tempted to use the ready-to-eat, no-soak variety of apricots.

MAKES ABOUT 1.2 KG/2½ LB

450 g/1 lb dried apricots
350 g/12 oz/1½ cups golden caster (superfine) or light muscovado sugar
30 ml/2 tbsp orange or almond liqueur


  1. Put the apricots into a processor and, using the pulse button, process until finely chopped.
  2. Put the apricots into the slow cooker and scatter the sugar over. Pour on 750 ml/1¼ pt/3 cups of boiling water and stir well.
  3. Cover and cook on High for 2½ hours.
  4. Stir the mixture, then continue cooking, uncovered, on High, stirring occasionally, for a further 2-3 hours, until thick.
  5. Leave to cool slightly, then stir in the liqueur before spooning into warm, sterilised jars.
  6. Keep refrigerated and use within 3 weeks.


Slow-cooked Spiced Apple Butter

This delicious spread can be left to cook for hours in the slow cooker - I start it on one day, then mash the apples the following morning before completing the cooking. Try leaving the skins on until the very last minute, as this will extract as much flavour as possible.

MAKES ABOUT 450 G/1 LB

1 kg/2¼ lb Bramley cooking (tart) apples, quartered, cores removed and sliced
100 g/4 oz/½ cup golden caster (superfine) or light muscovado sugar
120 ml/4 fl oz/½ cup apple juice
2.5 ml/½ tsp ground mixed (apple-pie) spice
Finely grated zest and juice of
½ lemon


  1. Put all the ingredients into the slow cooker, stir well, and then level the surface.
  2. Cover and cook on Low for 8-10 hours or overnight.
  3. Stir and mash the apples, then cook, uncovered, on High for a further 4-6 hours or until the mixture is very thick.
  4. Sieve (strain) the apple mixture to remove the skins and spoon into warm, sterilised jars.
  5. Keep in the fridge and use within 4 weeks.


Crunchy Pickled Vegetables in Wine Vinegar

You can substitute the vegetables suggested here for your own preferences. Serve them as an accompaniment to a plate of crusty bread and mature cheese - they will transform a commonplace ploughman's lunch into a tasty meal fit for the lord of the manor himself!

SERVES 6-8

1 onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
225 g/8 oz tiny cauliflower florets
2 carrots, thinly sliced
2 small celery sticks, thinly sliced
10 ml/2 tsp sugar
5 ml/1 tsp ground turmeric
10 ml/2 tsp salt
2.5 ml/½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
2.5 ml/½ tsp fennel seeds
150 ml/¼ pt/2/3 cup white or red wine vinegar


  1. Preheat the slow cooker while you prepare the ingredients.
  2. Put all the ingredients into the slow cooker and mix well.
  3. Pour over 150 ml/¼ pt/2/3 cup of boiling water and push the vegetables down in an even layer.
  4. Cover and cook on High for 2 hours, stirring after 1 hour and 1½ hours.
  5. Tip the mixture into a container, cover and leave to cool.
  6. Chill until required. They will keep for 1-2 weeks in a covered container in the fridge.