The finished product

TONS of apples were peeled and a thick treacle-like mixture stirred for hours last weekend as traditional Jersey black butter was produced.

Dozens of Islanders helped with the process at different venues, including at the Elms, St Mary, where the National Trust for Jersey were working, and at Le Carrefour, in Trinity, where the Trinity Battle of Flowers Association were making the product.

Each October, volunteers  watch over the slow cooking process (as long as 30 hours) as tons of fresh apples are gently simmered down into a thick, sweet jam that is as much a part of the Island’s culinary history as bean crock, conger soup and Jersey wonders.

Their job is to keep the apples moving, to make sure that they do  not stick to the bottom of the red-hot cauldron (bachîn).

The recipe at the Elms,  required  just over 1,200 lbs of fruit, 13 gallons of apple juice and cider, 27 lbs of sugar, 18 oz of mixed spice and cinnamon, 12 lemons and 450g of liquorice. This was enough to fill about 300 jars.

• Pictures: Rob Currie and Collette Bisson

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