Old English Spiced and Fruited Sugar for Apple Pies Etc!

French Tart's Note:

An easy spiced and fruited sugar, which really adds a "zing" to your apple pies, apple crumbles, cake toppings, baked desserts etc. This spiced sugar mix is based on a 400-year-old English recipe. Spiced sugars were extremely popular in England many centuries ago, they disguised a multitude of sins; and, as spices & citrus fruits were still new & seen as extremely exotic, they were held in high regard and enjoyed especially by Royalty and the Gentry!

• Total Time: 24 hrs 5 mins
• Prep Time: 5 mins
• Cook Time: 24 hrs

Ingredients:

Yield: 1 225 g Jar

• 200 g fine light brown sugar or 200 g white caster sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 orange, zest of, dried
• 1 lemon, zest of, dried

Directions:

1. If you have no dried citrus zest, first make your dried orange & lemon zest by placing into a warm oven (just after it has been turned off) and leaving it to dry over night; or, if it is summer, cover and leave outside. (Place zest on a tray lined with greaseproof paper.).
2. When you are ready to make the spiced sugar, simply mix all the spices in with the sugar - mixing well.
3. Add the dried citrus zest, pour into a clean jar or airtight container and keep in a dark, cool and dry place for up to 3-4 months.
4. You can make this with fresh citrus zest if you do not intend to keep it for longer than a week or two.
5. Use in: Apple and all types if Fruit Pies, Crumbles, Sprinkles for Cakes and Bakes, Baked Desserts, Mulled wine & hot Beverages, Fruit salads, Trifles, Compotes and Purees.

Reviews

[littlemafia]

OMG! How great is this! Zaar should really have the option of more stars than just five because this one deserves a lot more. I used white sugar and I grated some ginger. Great flavor and I've only had it with plain sliced apples. Can't wait to try it in something else.I'm making a clafouti tomorrow. Thanks so much for sharing.

[Diana #2]

Fantastic combination of flavours. I can see me using this in many recipes. Yesterday I tried it out on my apple pie recipe. I freeze down sliced apples in bags containing 6 cups. I added the defrosted apples and three heaping serving spoons of the sugar mix to a frying pan, along with cornstarch for thickening. After that has cooled a bit, I pour it into my unbaked pie shell and add a crumb topping which consists of 3/4 cup flour, 1/3 cup butter, and 1/2 cup sugar mix. This was just perfect. Not too sweet either. I think I might add more zest next time, but that's a personal thing. Thanks FT for another fantastic keeper of a recipe. Made for the Auzzie/NZ Recipe Swap #28.

[bluemoon downunder]

I discovered this fabulous recipe while making Ms Sally's Spiced Sugar Apple Pie Light. It was superb in that dish and I'm really looking forward to using it in other recipes. For me, one of those GREAT ZAAR FINDS! Thank you for sharing it, French Tart!