Clothbound Cheddar, Stilton, Eccles Cakes And Apple Chutney Recipe

Prepare ingredients

Peel, core and dice the cooking apples into roughly 1cm pieces. Finely chop the red onion. Measure out raisins, sugar, spices, vinegar and mustard.

Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the oil and once hot add the chopped onion. Sauté for 4–5 minutes until softened and translucent but not browned.

Add the diced apples to the pan with the onions and stir to combine. Cook for 3–4 minutes to soften slightly.

Stir in the light brown sugar, golden raisins, apple cider vinegar, wholegrain mustard, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, salt and black pepper. Mix well so the sugar dissolves and the spices are evenly distributed.

Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low. Partially cover and cook for 20–25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until apples are tender and mixture is thick and jammy. If it thickens too quickly or begins to stick, add 1–2 tablespoons of water.

Taste and adjust seasoning — add lemon juice if you want more brightness or a pinch more salt or sugar to balance. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature; chutney will thicken further as it cools.

Transfer chutney to a sterilized jar and refrigerate if not using immediately. Keeps up to 2 weeks refrigerated.

Bring the clothbound cheddar and stilton to room temperature for at least 30 minutes before serving to maximize flavor and texture.

If the cheddar is a block, slice or chunk into bite-sized pieces (approximately 1–1.5 cm thick slices or 2–3 cm cubes) and arrange on a serving board. Crumble or cut the stilton into small wedges and place beside the cheddar.

Warm the eccles cakes briefly if desired: preheat oven to 160°C (320°F) and heat the cakes for 5–7 minutes to lightly warm the pastry and soften the filling. Alternatively, serve at room temperature.

Slice the ripe eating apple into thin wedges and arrange on the board to provide fresh, crunchy contrast.

Spoon the cooled apple chutney into a small bowl and place on the board alongside the cheeses, eccles cakes, crackers/bread and apple slices.

Garnish with a few sprigs of parsley or thyme if using. Provide small knives or spreaders for each cheese and encourage guests to try combinations: clothbound cheddar with chutney and a piece of eccles cake; stilton on a cracker with a sliver of apple.