Christmas Fever | SPICED APPLE JAM WITH OVEN-BAKED PUMPKIN SEED CRISPBREAD

Spiced Apple Jam Recipe | Motte's Blog

CAUTION!

Christmas Fever has struck again!

Lately, all I can think about is how I am going to decorate for Christmas. How I should tackle this year’s Christmas gift shopping in a timely and fashionable manner. Where should I put the tree? The star? The snowflakes? WHEN WILL IT FINALLY START TO SNOW??
This might seem ridiculous to some of you considering a lot of you are already knee-deep in snow with your hair all tangled up in tinsel.... but some of us are just not.

City sidewalks, busy sidewalks, dressed in holiday style…

Spiced Apple Jam Recipe | Motte's Blog

Now I know not everyone is a massive Christmas fan (which, let's face it, is utterly ridiculous; those individuals cannot possibly be humans), but (like any normal human) I am (greatly), and I really, really wish it would start to snow! But, surprisingly, the sun is shining bright these days and it just keeps getting warmer and warmer here in Berlin...

Which is not getting me into a particularly festive pre-Christmas spirit I might add. Rather, it is making me plan my next trip to the Bahamas. Which is ridiculous. Because it is December for crying out loud and yet I just switched from my winter coat back to my between-seasons-jacket!

The other day I overheard this conversation between a little boy and his mom: Is it fall now? Yes, it is. And next, spring? No, first, there's winter.

Urgh, if only.

If only it felt a bit like winter, that might make me feel like Christmas was actually approaching. Instead we are running around in flimsy jackets believing spring is just around the corner...

This is really killing my Christmas vibe.

Spiced Apple Jam Recipe | Motte's Blog

Isn't it odd though how we go from ‘Whaaat Lebkuchen is already in stores, I swear to God Christmas comes round earlier and earlier every year, make it stop’ to ‘Christmas is over, when did this happen?, The gifts I ordered yesterday haven't even arrived yet’ within what seems like only minutes?

So I have decided to no longer wait for Christmas to come around this year. Or the snowflakes (come ooon weather gods, COME ON!) for that matter, but to embrace the festive season regardless of rain or shine!

Spiced Apple Jam Recipe | Motte's Blog

Spiced Apple Jam Recipe | Motte's Blog

What I am enjoying greatly these days is cuddling up by the fireplace with a good book and sipping gingerbread-orange tea.

Except I don't actually have a fireplace.

Luckily, I did pick up a good-sized collection of candles, so they will have to do.

Which they do.

Also, I should probably stop drinking so much tea since it is not doing my teeth any good...

But I still love good books!

Preferably, while munching away on a little snack.

Spiced Apple Jam Recipe | Motte's Blog

Which is why I decided to make some Bratapfelkonfitüre. Bratapfel is a German dessert typically made around Christmas time. The apple is filled with sugar and cinnamon, nuts, raisins and marzipan, baked in the oven and served with vanilla sauce.

Today I decided to make a Bratapfel jam inspired by this classic dessert.

Now if this doesn't taste and smell like pre-Christmas jidders, I don't know what does!

Spiced Apple Jam Recipe | Motte's Blog

Spiced Apple Jam Recipe | Motte's Blog

BRATAPFELKONFITÜRE WITH OVEN-BAKED PUMPKIN SEED CRISPBREAD

Bratapfelkonfitüre:
500g apples
400ml apple juice
100g almonds
100g raisins
500g jam sugar 2:1
1 vanilla bean

In a frying pan, roast the almonds. In the meantime, peal, core and dice the apples.
In a large pan, combine the apple juice, apple dices, raisins and sugar, let simmer on low heat for 5-10 minutes.

Chop the almonds. Scratch the pulp out of the vanilla pod and quarter the bean. Add the pulp, the vanilla bean quarters and the chopped almonds to the apple mixture. Let simmer briefly and fill the mixture into prepared glass jars. Close the jars tightly, turn the jars upside down for 5 minutes to seal.

Spiced Apple Jam Recipe | Motte's Blog

Spiced Apple Jam Recipe | Motte's Blog

Oven-Baked Pumpkin Seed Crispbread:

Preheat the oven to 350°Fahrenheit / 170°Celsius.
Sprinkle crispbread with pumpkin seeds and top with grated cheese of your choosing. Bake for 10-15 minutes.

Pumpkin Seed Crispbread Recipe | Motte's Blog

Pumpkin Seed Crispbread Recipe | Motte's Blog

Pumpkin Seed Crispbread Recipe | Motte's Blog

Pumpkin Seed Crispbread Recipe | Motte's Blog

Serving Suggestion:

Generously spread the baked pumpkin seed crispbread with cream cheese and top with the Bratapfel jam. As a savory alternative, substitute the jam with avocado slices.

For breakfast, add the jam to your muesli with jogurt. For dessert, top vanilla bean ice cream with a spoon full of the jam.

Pumpkin Seed Crispbread Recipe | Motte's Blog

Bratapfelkonfitüre | Motte's Blog

Bratapfelkonfitüre | Motte's Blog

No comments