Crab apples and wild plums

Hello all.

While out walking today, I came by a crab apple tree laden with fruit. I ate one straight from the tree and it tasted remarkably sweet for a crab apple, and more importantly, I'm still not dead, so I guess they're ok.

There were also loads of blackthorn trees full of ripe berries. Sloes are a bit sharp so they were ignored, but among them was the odd tree or two that had much larger than average sloes, about 3 times the normal size, or about the size of large grapes. Also softer and sweeter than sloes, but sharper than proper plums. I suspect they were damsons, and again I ate one or two, and am still not dead.

I collected a load of these two types of fruit with the intention of making a pie or crumble later.

Is it safe to do that?

Apart from stewing them with a load of sugar to take the sharpness away, is there anything else I need to do?

Am I taking any risk, ie is there any chance I might accidentally poison my whole family?

I'm confident about the id, its just I've never made a pie from wild plums or apples before so not sure if they might need any special treatment.

 

Neither have killed me yet.

As I've so many apple trees I don't generally bother with crab apples but OH sometimes makes sloe & crab apple jelly. Crab apples very often have a higher sugar content than sweet eating apples, but the high acid & tannin contents obscure it. Your tree could be a hybrid.

I've been picking sweet wild damsons for a while now, sweet enough to eat as raw fruit, but will also get used in pies, chutney, jam & wine.

 

UPDATE: We're all still not dead.

Last night we made a crumble with the crab apples and wild plums we collected.

First up, having rinsed the fruit, I set about peeling and and de-pipping the crab apples. A tedious yet strangely rewarding task. I also cut open the wild plums to remove the stones.

I put the fruit into a saucepan with just enough water kind of steam the fruit, knowing that once the heat gets in, the fruit will release much of its juice (so adding too much water results in a runny mush, no good for pies). I kept the heat fairly moderate until the juice built up, then brought it to a vigorous boil for a couple of minutes just to make sure any nasties were dead, then simmered for a few minutes, stirring regularly.

The texture, colour and aroma was superb, but a taste test made me scrunch my face, so lots of sugar was added until it was tart but not overpowering.

The stewed wild fruit was then allowed too cool, before I transferred it to a deep dish and we sprinkled the crumble mix over the top. A dusting of sugar then it was ready for the oven (gas 6).

10 minutes in the oven is all that was needed to set the crumble mix and give it a lovely golden brown texture.

The wife, son and I had it for our supper last night with custard, and there was enough left over for us to have it for dessert this evening.

I can honestly say it was the most delicious crumble I've ever tasted. I've made loads over the years with various fruit, but this was the first time I'd used entirely wild 'foraged' fruit for the filling, and I will certainly be going back to raid the trees again before the summer's out.

I'm thinking I might use some rose hips next time to add a slightly different flavour.

 

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you do realise if you`ve eaten this fruit..................

 

Am I going to die a horrible sudden death?

 

Hate to tell you this, but yes,

 

You`ll be dead within a hundred years.:(:(

 

Or so.:D

 

We're all doomed. Doomed I tell you:OUCH:

Still, as far as last suppers go, it was delicious

 

It`s like vegetarian sushi, one false move and your a goner.:D:D:D