Ricarda vallano saw six years ago that a great gastronomic and agrarian heritage was being lost. Many apple trees of the local variety espeiega they started to plant corn or more productive varieties of apple trees. It was at this time that he decided to manufacture a frozen apple juice or ice cream.
It is the local variety of the area, the Corner of Ademuz. An area of rich lands in the Turia river basin with cold winters and hot summers. «I was very sad to see how all this was lost in such a rich and beautiful land. So I decided to make a juice that I started marketing three years ago ”, he says. Ricarda a Great Products.
This is how frozen apple juice is made
At the end of October, when the apples have matured in the tree, the harvest. As a result of this ripening and exposure to the sun, the fruit crystallizes part of its sugars, which can be seen when cutting it. Crystals appear with an appearance of frozen apple. It is the one used for the frozen apple juice.
This phenomenon that occurs in different proportions each year is called vitrescence and it is more common in this type of apples. It is for this reason that they are popularly called frozen apples. Although it has nothing to do with him cold. Once harvested, the apples are kept in wooden boxes, since it is the best material for this fruit rest.
Two to three weeks are allowed for a post maturation, which helps a better pressing, since the pulp loses hardness.
El pressing en Ricarda brun to get the frozen apple juice it is done with a cold press in a smooth and continuous way. The juice is left for a few hours for cold decantation. This, with the aim that the larger particles precipitate. It is at this time that they add a 0,15% citric acid as a preservative. Later, it pasteurize the juice for 30 seconds at 80º C and it is ready for consumption.
Without any further addition
"To this frozen apple juice nothing is added to it, neither sugars, nor anything else. It could be kept for up to two years, but I recommend drinking it as soon as possible. Although there are also clients who reduce it to make Apple sauce and who uses it in cocktail bar », he tells us Ricarda.
El Speriega apple juice it's really unique. In Ricarda brun produce some 20 thousand liters per year of their own apple trees. It is a juice of a cloudy color with a dense texture and a sweet, round and pleasant flavor.
Currently, they have added juices from Fuji apple and Golden but 80% of the juice they produce is wait. The commercialization is carried out in the Communicate Valenciana, Teruel and by Internet.
