For around 600 years, right up until the Norman conquest in 1066, Britain was in the midst of the Anglo-Saxon era, often known as Early Medieval Britain. This time in the history of our country was one of great learning, and there are many archaeological artefacts to remind us of our Anglo-Saxon past. One such item on display at Harborough Museum is this stunning bronze brooch which was originally found in a burial site. When it was discovered, it was encased in a block of soil. It was then carefully removed and cleaned up, restoring it to its former beauty.
The owner of this lovely brooch may have eaten the typical diet of an Anglo-Saxon, one of natural, nourishing foods such as berries, fruits and nuts. Below, you will find a scrummy baked apple recipe which would’ve been quite familiar to an Anglo-Saxon person, and would certainly have gone down a treat! The main ingredient is apples. Apples these days are crisp, crunchy and sweet, however apples over 1,000 years ago were a lot smaller and much more bitter than we’re used to today.
Thanks to our volunteer, Hilary, for researching and baking this historical recipe!
Baked apples
Ingredients
- 1 apple (ask an adult to core your apple for you, making sure the hole is big enough for the berries)
- Some berries (you can use any berries you like. In this recipe, we’ve used blackberries and redcurrants)
- Some honey
- Cream, custard or ice cream (optional)
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 180c. Lay out your ingredients, and make sure you wash your berries before using them
- Place your cored apple onto a baking tray and drop the berries into the hole, filling it up right to the top
- Drizzle your apple and berries with honey. The honey on top of the berries will drip down into the apple core and soak the other berries
- Bake in the oven for about 30 mins, until the apple becomes soft and dimpled. Leave to cool for a few minutes before eating. You can eat it on its own, or with cream, custard or ice cream. Enjoy!
Remember to take a photo once you’ve made your scrumptious baked apple, and send it to Harborough Museum. We would love to see your take on the recipe! Send us your photos at Harborough Museumon Facebook or to @LeicsMuseums on Twitter
