Fruit Puree
Pureeing fruit is a quick and easy way to use up a glut and the end product is pretty versatile.
It can be:
eaten on its own
added to yogurt, muesli, porridge, and ice-cream
used as a pancake topping
rolled in pastry and baked
turned into fruit leather.
added to cakes and muffins to replace sugar
made into sorbet.
These are just the first things that spring to mind; I'm sure the list goes on.
All fruit can be pureed either on its own or in combinations such as apple and blackberry, apple and pear, summer berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries) and you can add spices such as ground ginger, cinnamon , cloves, nutmeg, or some vanilla extract for flavour.
If you're eating the puree fresh or using it immediately you can add sweetener to taste (sugar, honey, maple syrup etc.) or just enjoy the natural sweetness of the fruit. Like this, the puree will last for about 3 days in the fridge. If you want to preserve your puree, you can freeze your it unsweetened. If you want to preserve the puree for future use and you don't want to freeze it then you can store it in sealed, sterilised jars (see my page on sterilising jars for this), but you will need to add sugar to prevent it from spoiling and becoming toxic.
The recommendation for preserving fruit is a minimum ratio of 1:1 - equal amounts of sugar and fruit, but most fruit preserves are at least 60% sugar to 40% fruit.
Whatever you decide to do, making puree is simple.
Step 1 Prepare the Fruit:
Wash and peel your fruit and remove any cores, pips, or stones. If you're planning to preserve it in jars, weigh it now and measure out your sugar.
Step 2 Cook It:
Put the fruit in a pan with a very small amount of water on the bottom to prevent burning. Heat the fruit gently, making sure it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan. Cook until soft. Puree it with a stick blender, food mill*, or even a potato masher until it has a smooth, even consistency.
Step 3 Add Your Sugar:
If you're preserving it, add the sugar to your puree and heat it up again before putting it into hot, sterilised jars. Put the lids on and leave to cool down. Make sure your jars have sealed before storing in a cool, dry, dark place.
*if you're using a food mill, apples and pears do not need to be peeled or cored. Simply cut them in quarters and when you run the mixture through the mill the pips, peels and any tougher material will remain in the seive.