I Grew WAY Too Much Fruit… Here’s What I Did With It

The garden and food forest has been so abundant over recent months which has got everyone thinking - what's going to happen with all that fruit?!
So today I'm sharing some of the ways I'm using an overabundance of produce from my fruit trees, taking you through the steps I take to preserve the fruit and get a lot out of what I grow.

We'll cover things like dehydrating fruit, making fruit leather / fruit roll-ups, preserving fruit in jars, making jam, drinks, fruit icecream and even some baking.

Preserving note: The oven bottling method shown in this video is a traditional New Zealand method that has been used for many years for preserving fruit. The fruits shown here are naturally acidic fruits (feijoas and peaches).
Since publishing this video, I’ve looked further into current food safety recommendations, which generally recommend using tested methods such as water-bath canning for acidic fruits when aiming for long-term shelf-stable storage. Please follow up-to-date food safety guidance when preserving food at home.

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Prickly & Pear Jam (can be done with just pears as well)
1.2kg pears (weighed after peeling and coring)
Juice of 1 prickly pear, or use 2 for deeper colour (optional)
900g sugar
30g lemon juice
2 tsp vanilla extract

Juice prickly pear if using (blend then strain out seeds). Peel and core pears, roughly chop and put in food processor. Pulse until rough applesauce texture. Add to a pot with the prickly pear juice and lemon juice. Cook on medium heat for 15 mins until pear has softened and is collapsing. Add sugar and bring to steady boil for around 20 mins or so until jam is thickening and when dropped onto a frozen plate it sets to jam consistency (should wrinkle when touched). Add vanilla in last few minutes then put into hot sterilised jars and seal.

Tamarillo Jam:
1.5kg tamarillos weighed with skin on
1 apple
Zest of 1 lemon
1kg sugar
Pinch of salt

Cut tamarillo's in half and scoop out flesh into large pot. Add apple, lemon zest and salt. Bring to gentle simmer for about 15 mins, stirring occasionally until fruit has broken down.
Add sugar and bring to steady rolling boil for ~15 minutes, stirring often. Bubbles will become thicker, then you can test on a frozen plate to see how it will set. Once happy, put into hot sterilised jars and seal.

Mini Fruit Tarts:
Base (for 4 mini tart dishes)
1 cup flour
1/2 cup chickpea flour
1/2 cup vegan butter / margarine
2 tbsp maple syrup
pinch of salt

Filling (this will only fill 2 tart shells, so double the recipe or do 2 different fruits separately).
400g cape gooseberries or tamarillo (or fruit of choice)
60g sugar
2 tbsp lemon juice
pinch salt
6 lemon verbena leaves (optional)

Method:
Mix base ingredients in a bowl, crumble together with fingers and press into mini tart pans (I made 4). Make some holes with a fork. Bake on 180c for 15 mins or until deep golden.
Add filling ingredients to a pot, place on medium heat until the fruit has collapsed and mixture is thick, glossy and spoon leaves a trail. Remove lemon verbena leaves if using, let mixture cool for 5 minutes then pour mixture into tart shells. Leave to set in fridge for 1-2 hours and serve.

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VIDEO SUGGESTIONS FOR YOU:
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Books I've enjoyed and found helpful:
Grafting and Budding: A Practical Guide for Fruit and Nut Plants and Ornamentals
https://amzn.to/3iniYQa
The Food Forest Handbook: Design and Manage a Home-Scale Perennial Polyculture Garden https://amzn.to/3imbZHo