Recipes needed: Prickly Pear Cactus

[StonehavenFarm83]

I have a LARGE patch of the prickly pear cactus plants (ones that have yellow blooms). I have heard that you can make jelly and candy from these. Anyone here have proven recipes that you would suggest?

Thanks!

 

[sufficientforme]

I too have been searching for prickly pear cactus recipes. I picked these up at our local extension office
Prickly pear bbq sauce
1 1/4 cup prickly pear nectar or juice
3/4 C. frozen apple juice concentrate
1/2 C. diced green peppers
1/2 C. apple cider vinegar
1/2 C. red chile paste (or 1 Tsp of chile powder or less to tastes)
2 Tbsp fresh roasted green chiles
1 Tbsp diced jalapenos
1 envelope unflavored gelatin or 1/16 tsp of xanthum gum
4 tsp of soy sauce
pinch of salt
blend all and simmer 20 til thick
use on meats
can be frozen for later use
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Prickly pear bread
1 1/2 C unbleached flour
1 1/2 C whole wheat flour
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp mace
1/4 C honey
1 egg
1 C pecans chopped
2 Tbsp grated orange rind
3/4 C prickly pear fruit pieces
1/4 C orange juice
1/2 C milk
1/2 Tsp vanilla
Mix dry ingredients. In separate bowl cream butter, honey, beat in egg. Mix rest of ingredients. Fold in wet to dry ingredients. Bake 1 hr in 9x5 loaf pan at 350*
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Prickly pear popsicles
2 C prickly pear juice or nectar
1 C water
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 C sugar or agave nectar
wash the pears and put in blendar with one cup of water (sticker can be left on due to strain through several layers of cheesecloth next) then add the lemon and sugar and put in form to freeze.
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cactus honey sherbert
3 med very ripe peaches
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
1/4 C Cold water
2 1/2 C p.p. juice or nectar
1/2 C honey
5 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 C whipping cream
plunge peaches in pot of boiling water for one minute. Transfer to bowl of cold water, slip off skins and slice (should be 1 1/2 cups) sprinkle gelatin over in small bowl. Combine 1 C pp puree with peaches in med saucepan and simmer 5 min. strain off 1 C of liquid and cook with honey until disolved. add gelatin and lemon juice to honey and stir. Blend peaches and rest of juice. Combine w/ gelatin/honey/cream and chill (use ice cream maker directions from here)
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Prickly pear punch
12 oz pp juice or nectar
1 6 oz can frozen apple juice concentrate
1 33 oz bottle of carbonated water
in pitcher mix nectar/juice chill and place in punch bowl before serving add ice cold carbonated water (mint is a nice touch in )
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or
1 6 oz frozen orange juice concentrate
1 1/2 C pp juice or nectar
1 1/2 C pineapple juice
1/4 C Fresh lemon juice
1 28 oz bottle ginger ale
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prickly pear margaritas
6 oz tequila
4 oz triple sec
4 oz lime juice
2 oz pp nectar
1 oz orange juice
sweeten to taste with sugar or agave nectar. Blend with 4 C ice
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PP smoothie
1 or 2 tbsp chia seeds
1 C apple or orange juice
1/2 C pp juice or nectar
1 C frozen berried or banana
1 C plain yogurt
2 tsp honey
5 ice cubes
presoak the chia for 1/2 hr then blend all ingredients
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Prickly pear and apple butter
2 apples unpeeled and chopped
1 large orange for 1/2 C juice
1 tbsp grated peel
1 C pp fruit pieces

simmer apples and oj in heavy bottomed pan 20 min. blend smooth and pulse till fairly smooth. return to boil and stir in orange peel. cook til desired thickness. refrigerate.
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I have not tried these yet but they came from several published cookbooks and printed with permission from the extension office. I will pull out my recipe book for jelly recipe shortly.
Hope this helps, it took me a long time to find any recipes I asked the lady who helped me and she said she had tried a few and liked them.

 

[sufficientforme]

Forgot to add this recipe
Prickly pear health water for appetite suppression
16 ounces prickly pears
48 ounces water
ice cubes
Directions
Juice prickly pears with a juicer. Discard pulp, use for compost, etc.
Don't have a juicer? Cut prickly pear in half and scoop insides into a blender or food processor and puree. You can add a little water if you need to in order to get it moving.
Pour juice into an ice cube tray and freeze.
Pour 8 ounces of cold water into a glass and add ice cubes. Add 1 or 2 of these pretty ice cubes to the glass and drink to your good health!

Prickly pear jelly Yes I have tried this, I had one of two batches not set up. But was good.
PP jelly (assumes you have basic knowledge of extracting juice and water bath canning) If not let me know I will type out directions.

2 1/2 C pp juice
1 box (original recipe called for liquid but mine did not set) (1 3/4 oz box) powdered pectin
3 tbsp of lemon juice
3 1/2 C sugar

Bring juice and pectin just to boil, stirring constantly, then begin to add sugar slowly with constant stirring, taking a few minutes to add sugar, and keeping juice nearly at a boil.
Then bring to a rolling boil and boil for three minutes longer.
Remove from heat, let stand a few seconds, skim, pour quickly into jars and seal while hot.
Process for ten minutes in a boiling water bath.

 

[StonehavenFarm83]

I've been out of town, so just now getting to read your response! WOW! There are a lot of recipes. Will have to give them a try. Thank you so much...Jo