Sloe Gin

Ingredients:

• 1lb/454gm of washed sloes
• 4 ozs/112gm of white granulated sugar
• 75cl bottle of medium quality gin
• Sterilised 1 litre (at least) Le Parfait jar or wide necked bottle
• 2-3 drops of almond essence

Method:

Wash sloes well and discard any bruised or rotten fruit. Prick fruit several times with a fork and place sloes in either a large Kilner/Le Parfait jar or a wide necked 1 litre bottle. I put several sloes in my palm to prick them rather than picking them up one by one.

Using a funnel, add the sugar and top up with gin to the rim. Always open sugar bags over the sink as sugar tends to get caught in the folds at the top of the bag.

Add the almond essence.

Shake every day until the sugar is dissolved and then store in a cool, dark place until you can resist it no longer (leave for at least three months, we usually let it mature for a year).

Some people strain the grog (through muslin/jelly bag) after 3 months and bottle it, leaving it mature for six months. We strain and bottle after a year. Don’t leave the straining process any longer than a year; leaving the fruit in too long can spoil the liqueur.

Tips and tricks:

• Make more than you need the first year, so you can compare different vintages. This liqueur does improve over time.
• Some people drain the grog through muslin after a couple of months, to clarify the liqueur and bottle. We don’t bother as one old soak tipped that, once the gin is drunk, you can pour medium sherry on the fruit and start all over again! The latter is devilish and drinkable within three months. We have a recipe for this in our wine and gin section.
• Keep your fruit gin away from the light as this will maintain the colour. Unless it is in a dark green or brown bottle. Wrapping it in brown parcel paper will keep out the light.
• Make notes on a label of your fruit gin/vodka /sugar ratio and stick it onto the bottle(s) so that you have a record, if you make a particularly good batch. We note our responses as the grog matures. Yucky after sixth months can be to die for in a year (you will probably not remember without notes). Notes seem boring when you are making the grog but they are so worthwhile when you start again the next year. It won’t be long before you will get a feel of what works well for your taste (and the notes will come into their own).
• Adding almond essence to sloe gin lifts it from good to great. I haven’t tried this with the damson gin but return in a years’ time for our review.
• Don’t kill the liqueur with too much sugar at the start. Use the amount above to start your sloe or damson gin and then every couple of months take a tiny sip. At this time add more sugar if it is too sharp for your taste.
• Gin v Vodka? Vodka can be used as the spirit for these recipes. Although I’m a vodka drinker, we tend to stick to a gin base for our fruit liqueurs.
• A good damson gin can be made from ordinary damsons available in the shops. As they are bigger you would need to put them into a larger Le Parfait jar (I’d use a 2 litre size).
• People have been picking sloes from September 1st around here. Some people say that you shouldn't pick sloes until after the first frost. This can be circumvented by putting your sloes in the freezer overnight. We don’t bother with either method and always have great results.
• This year we have made up a number of small (1lb honey jars) of sloe gin to give as Christmas presents.

Ricciarelli biscuits

Makes about 20-25 biscuits

• 300g whole almonds
• 225g caster sugar
• The zest of half a lemon
• The whites from 2 large eggs
• A few drops of good-quality vanilla extract
• A few drops of almond extract
• Icing sugar for dusting

Preheat the oven to 160C/gas mark 3. Place the almonds on a tray and roast them for about 15 minutes or so, turning them every so often, until they are golden but not too brown. Leave to cool.

Put the almonds in a small food processor with half of the caster sugar and the lemon zest and blend as finely as you can get them.

Clean a mixing bowl or the bowl of a mixing machine with boiling water to remove any traces of grease. Using either an electric hand-held whisk, or the mixing machine, whisk the egg whites until they are stiff, then add the remaining sugar and continue beating until stiff again. Fold in the ground almond mixture with the vanilla extract and almond extract.

Line a baking tray with silicone paper or baking parchment, dampen your hands with a little water, take about half a dessertspoon of the mixture at a time and roll into balls and flatten lightly until they are about 1-1cm thick; or alternatively, pipe them in a piping bag with a plain nozzle. Place the biscuits on the baking tray about 3cm apart.

Bake for about 20-30 minutes, or until golden. Allow to cool on the tray, then remove and dust with icing sugar.

Coconut Milk Fudge

Coconut Milk Fudge [Coconut Brigadeiros]
Adapted quite a bit from The Brazilian Kitchen, via the New York Times

A.k.a. Coconut Milk Caramels or Coconut Brigadeiros. Nervous about the gooey/sweet factor, I played around a little, using unsweetened coconut milk (the recipe didn’t specify, so I used what I thought would work) and then salted butter (honestly, by accident, but that pinch of salt really helped keep the treat on this side of treacly).

These candies are infinitely tweakable. Personally, I think they’d be fantastic with a pinch of cinnamon, Mexican or otherwise. My mother wanted to try them with a drop or two of almond extract. I think vanilla could work well in there, too. And you can roll them in the suggested toppings — coconut, pistachios and sprinkles — or use your own. Crushed cookie crumbs, anyone?

For classic, coconut-free brigadeiros, chocolate and other versions, check out recipe leads here.

Yield: 24 to 30 candies

1 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk
2 tablespoons salted or unsalted butter (salted will give the candy more contrast)
2 teaspoons light corn syrup
1/3 cup finely shredded unsweetened coconut (I lightly toasted mine, for crunch)
1/3 cup ground pistachios (see Note below)
1/3 cup chocolate sprinkles or “vermicelli” (see Note below)

In a medium-size heavy saucepan, combine condensed milk, coconut milk, butter and corn syrup. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and whisk constantly until fudgy. The recipe notes that when mixture is ready, it will pull together into one soft piece, leaving browned residue on bottom of pan and that this should take 8 to 10 minutes. This took me 20 to 25 minutes, and the candy began taking on a beige, caramelized color.

Slide mixture into a bowl. (Don’t scrape the pan; leave any residue behind.) Let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until very firm, at least 4 hours. Or, you could realize that the nanny has to leave in an hour, chill it for only 30 and discover that nothing bad will happen if you don’t wait the whole cooling time. You’ll have to be more careful if you use “real” i.e. meltable chocolate sprinkles but otherwise it will have no ill-effect to speed the process up.)

Scoop out teaspoonfuls of the mixture (I used my one teaspoon measure) and use your hands to roll into balls, about 3/4-inch in diameter. I found having just a drop or two of water in my palms — not wet, just a little moist — helped form them. Set aside on a baking sheet.

Place toppings in wide bowls and roll brigadeiros through them, covering the surface completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 1 month. Serve at room temperature.

Chocolate “vermicelli”: I got a little freaked out when I saw the ingredient list on the chocolate sprinkles I had brought home from the store. Look, I don’t need to pretend that chocolate sprinkles are health food, but I like to imagine I’m eating something with at least a minute smidgen of chocolate in it. I ended up spending way too much on a bottle of “chocolate vermicelli” (they look like chocolate sprinkles but are almost 100% pure chocolate, and delightfully, taste that way too) but I’d buy them next time from Amazon or King Arthur Flour’s Baker’s Catalog for much less.

Pistachios: Since toasted nuts always, always taste better than raw ones, I toasted and ground a batch to coat the candy only to find the brown/green shade… um, a little unpretty. Looks won out and I used ground raw pistachios in the end. I actually ended up preferring the softness of the coating.

Those tiny cups: I know someone is going to ask me where I bought those colorful little candy cups and I’m sorry, as my answer could not be more inconvenient: Vienna. A grocery store. I’m kind of obsessed with going to grocery stores in foreign countries and always walk out with random stuff like this. Anyway, Amazon sells #4 size cups (1-inch base) in brown and white; however, mine are actually #3 size (3/4 to 7/8-inch base) which I found online at a smaller store.

FENNEL SUGAR MICE FOR FLATULENCE

2 egg whites

250g icing sugar

200g dessicated coconut

4 tbsp fennel seeds

20 drops peppermint essential oil

A few drops homemade natural colourings (optional):

- for pink, use beetroot juice or blackberry jam

- for yellow, use turmeric

- for green, use juice pressed from chopped parsley

To decorate:

Cloves for eyes

Pumpkin seeds for ears

String for tails

1. Beat the egg whites until frothy but not stiff. Stir in the sieved icing sugar, coconut, fennel seeds and peppermint essential oil, and mix until the mixture forms a firm dough. (Feel free to add more sugar if the mixture is not stiff enough to hold its shape.)

2. Knead in a few drops of colouring (optional).

3. Form the dough into 21 little mice shapes - greasing your hands lightly with sunflower oil beforehand helps immensely with this. Place cloves for eyes, pumpkin seeds for ears and string for tails. Arrange the mice on a sheet of greaseproof paper and leave in a warm, dry place to harden for 24 hours.

USE: When windy, eat 1-2 mice per day, remembering to remove the cloves first.

STORAGE: Will keep in an airtight tin for up to 6 weeks.

ANTI-ANXIETY SAFFRON EGG NOG

500ml whole milk

2 bay leaves

36 threads / 3 pinches saffron

2 strips orange rind

3 tbsp golden syrup

200ml single cream

3 eggs

150ml white rum

Grated fresh nutmeg, to serve

1. Pour the milk, bay leaves, saffron, orange rind, golden syrup and cream into a pan, and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Strain through a sieve.

2. Break the eggs into a glass heat-proof bowl, then slowly whisk in the hot milk mixture.

3. Place the bowl above a pan of boiling water and heat gently, stirring, until the mixture thickens to a custardy consistency. Then take it straight off the heat.

4. Whisk in the rum, then pour the mixture into a jug. Cool, then leave to stand in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours before serving.

5. Serve over ice with grated nutmeg.

USE: Drink no more than 1 wineglass a day.

CAUTION: Contains alcohol.

STORAGE: Keep in the refrigerator. Will last for 2 weeks.

ROASTED CRANBERRY MINCE PIES

1 kg cranberries, fresh or frozen

1 Bramley apple, chopped

1 tsp mixed spice

100g unsalted butter

100ml maple syrup

300g soft brown sugar

3 tbsp dark rum or Cointreau

100g candied orange peel

Flour, for dusting

2 rolls ready-made shortcrust pastry

Icing sugar, to dredge

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).

2. Distribute the cranberries and chopped apple between two roasting tins. Sprinkle over the mixed spice and fleck with the butter. Drizzle the maple syrup over. Roast in the oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the fruit is slightly shrunken with a golden tan.

3. Remove the roasted cranberries from the oven and place in a bowl. Mix in the sugar, rum or Cointreau and candied orange peel.

4. Sprinkle flour onto a work surface and roll out the pastry to a thickness of about 3mm. Using a 7cm cookie-cutter, cut out discs of pastry and place into a greased mince pie tin. Prick the base of each pie with a fork and bake in the oven for 15 minutes.

5. Remove from the oven, and spoon the cranberry filling into each pastry cup. Return to the oven to cook for another 5 minutes.

6. Leave the pies to cool, then dredge with icing sugar.

USE: Eat 1 or 2 pies a day.

STORAGE: Store in an airtight container and eat within 1 week.

ROSEHIP AND GINGER FIZZY SHERBET - FOR HANGOVERS

50g fresh rosehips

1 tsp Maldon salt

2 tsp dried ground ginger

1 tsp citric acid

2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

3 tbsp glucose

1. Preheat the oven to 80°C (180°F), or its lowest setting.

2. Bash the rosehips in a mortar and pestle to break them up slightly. This will split the fruit - remove the seeds and discard.

3. Add the salt to the split hips and give them another quick bash with the pestle. The goal is just to break them up a little, not turn them into mush.

4. Scatter the rosehips on a baking tray and put in the oven at 80°C (180°F). Immediately turn off the heat and leave in the oven for half an hour or so until they are dried but not burnt.

5. Remove the dried hips from the oven and grind to a fine powder in a spice grinder. Mix with all other ingredients, then store in an airtight container.

USE: Add half of the sherbet to 1 litre of warm water. Stir and drink freely.

STORAGE: Provided it is completely dry, this will keep in an airtight container in a cool, dark place for up to 6 months.

FIR TREE AND CALAMONDIN HOT TODDY

Note: Use fir needles from the Fraser fir (Abies fraseri) or Norway Spruce (Picea abies.)

For the echinacea-infused rum:

15g fresh echinacea root (or 10g if using dried)

100ml white rum

For the hot toddy:

120ml fir needles

1 star anise

3 calamondin oranges or 1 lime, sliced

250ml boiling water

2 tbsp eucalyptus honey

Pinch of black pepper

1 shot (28ml) echinacea-infused rum (see ingredients above)

1 tsp unsalted butter

1. To make the echinacea-infused rum, combine the echinacea root and the rum and leave to steep in a cool, dark place for 2 weeks. Strain out the echinacea and bottle up. The mixture will keep in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year.

2. To make the hot toddy, strip the needles from the fir branches until you have 120ml.

3. Put the needles in a teapot or bowl with the star anise and sliced calamondin oranges or lime, honey and black pepper. Pour over the freshly boiled water. Cover and leave to steep for 15 minutes.

4. Strain into a pan, and reheat on the stove.

5. Once reheated, add the echinacea-infused rum and butter until melted. Stir, then serve in a large cup.

USE: For adults, drink 1 cup only in the evening or before bedtime.

CAUTION: Contains alcohol. Consideration should be made when driving.

STORAGE: Best made fresh for use at once.

Butternut squash with cumin chilli

Ingredients
2 small butternut squash , halved lengthways and seeds scraped out
1 tbsp olive oil
1 red onion , chopped
2 red chillies , deseeded and finely chopped
2 tsp ground cumin
250g lean beef mince
2 tbsp tomato purée
410g can kidney beans , drained and rinsed
half 20g bunch coriander , leaves chopped
50g spinach leaves

Recipe by Good Food
Serves 4
Preparation and cooking times
Prep 10 mins
Cook 45 mins

Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Rub the squash with a little oil, then roast them on a baking tray for 45 mins until soft.
Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a large frying pan, then fry the onion for a few mins until soft. Stir in the chilli and cumin, fry for 1 min more, then add the mince, browning for 3-4 mins. Stir in the purée and beans with a splash of water and season. Warm through and keep warm. Or cool, freeze for up to 1 month, then defrost and reheat.
Scoop a little of the soft squash flesh out to make a hollow, then stir this into the chilli with half the coriander. Fill the cavity of each squash with a quarter of the mix, then scatter with the remaining coriander. Dress the spinach with a drop more olive oil, season and serve alongside the squash.

Per serving
318 kcalories, protein 23g, carbohydrate 37g, fat 10 g, saturated fat 3g, fibre 9g, sugar 16g, salt 0.92

Cheese and caramelised onion muffins

Cheese and caramelised onion muffins from whomovedmychocolate

Makes about 10 big ones
Prep time 7 mins
Cook time 20 mins

Ingredients

50g butter
1 egg
150g self raising flour
Dash of milk
85g (3oz) cheddar
1 tbsp caramelised onion chutney

Handy HintHint: reheat for 10 seconds to remelt the cheese and make them yummier - good with soup.

Method

1. Soften butter in microwave.
2. Add egg, mix.
3. Add flour, mix, add milk to make cake-like consistency.
4. Add cheese and chutney, stir.
5. Put in muffin cases.
6. Bake in oven at 200C for 18 mins or until golden.

Baked Whole Lemon Pudding

melt 30g butter
cut ends off lemon & into 8 wedges, put into food processor with 1.5 cups caster sugar, finely chop
add 3/4 cup cream
3 egg yolks
2 tbsp cornflour
add melted butter

whiz again till smooth
grease 4 ovenproof bowls (single pie casseroles) on baking tray, pour mix
oven 160c for 20 mins
ready when there is a gold crust on top
serve with scoop of vanilla ice cream

Italian Baked Chicken

250g vine cherry tomatoes halved
8 large cloves garlic in skins
oregano leaves
120g pancetta or thick cut bacon etc. in rough chunks
drizzle with small amount of olive oil

put into baking tray or dish, into oven at 200c 20 mins

place 2 chicken breasts & black olives into the tomato mix, sprinkle with black pepper
cook for 15 mins, check if cooked, back in for another 5 if necessary

sprinkle with basil leaves & parmesan cheese

serve with rocket salad & crusty bread

mango & banana frozen yoghurt

2 bananas
3 mangoes
1 cup thick natural yoghurt

peel & chop the fruit, then freeze for 3 - 4 hours till solid.
place the yoghurt and fruit in a food processor or blender and process until smooth

either eat soft straight from the blender, or freeze for an hour or two for more solid yoghurt.

Butterscotch syrup

1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
2/3 cup light corn syrup (golden syrup)
1/4 cup butter
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla

In a medium saucepan combine sugar, syrup, and butter. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat until sugar has dissolved and mixture comes to a full rolling boil. Allow mixture to boil, without stirring, for 1 minute.

Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes.

In another bowl, combine evaporated milk, baking soda, and vanilla. Stir into the slightly cooled sauce. Pour into jars, cover, and refrigerate. Place jar in a pan of warm water to reheat.

Lychee Martini

Lychee Martini

ProPoints® Value: 5 Servings: 1 Preparation Time: 5 min Cooking Time: 0 min Level of Difficulty: Easy

If a Martini is your thing, try this crisp cocktail to get you in the party spirit.

Ingredients

	25 ml Vodka, ice cold
	1 tablespoons Syrup, Any Type, (from a can of lychees) (level)
	60 ml Cranberry Juice, no added sugar
	1 individual Lychees, canned

Instructions

• Pour ice cold vodka into a martini glass. Add syrup and top with ice cold cranberry juice. Add canned lychee threaded on to a cocktail stick and serve.

Mojito

Ingredients

1 tsp white sugar

a good squeeze of lime or lemon juice

a handful of mint sprigs (don't cut off the stalks)

ice

soda water , to serve

50ml white rum

a dash of Angostura bitters

lime slices, to serve

Serves 1

Put the sugar in the bottom of a glass and pour the citrus juice over to just cover it. Add 2 long sprigs of mint. Muddle (gently pound) the juice, sugar and mint.

Add ice to the top of the glass, fill the glass two-thirds full with soda water.

Add the rum.

Stir and add a dash of Angostura bitters.

Top with slices of lime.

Per serving

138 kcalories, protein 0.4g, carbohydrate 6.7g, fat 0.1 g, saturated fat 0g, fibre 0g, salt 0.01 g

Recipe from olive magazine, September 2005.

Butterbeer

Regular Homemade Butterbeer Recipe

Regular Homemade Butterbeer Recipe

1 Bottle IBC Cream Soda

1 Tablespoon of Butterscotch Syrup (Optional)

Foam (makes enough for two servings of Butterbeer):

1/3 Cup Heavy Cream (double cream)

2 Tablespoons Sugar

1 Tablespoon Powdered Sugar (icing sugar)

1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Whip to desired consistency.

Pour Cream Soda into Butterbeer Stein or Beer Mug/Glass.

Layer foam on top with spoon, let rest for 10-20 seconds for the soda to carbonate the foam.

Voila, Butterbeer!

Mix It Up: For any other flavor combos try putting a bit of ground cinnamon or almond extract into the foam mixture before whipping.

For Frozen: For a quick glass, blend Cream Soda with ice till smooth, pour in Stein/Pilsner/Mug. Layer foam mixture on top as usual.

If you want to take your time, you can freeze the Cream Soda for about 6 hours. Blend until smooth, pour in Stein/Pilsner/Mug. Layer foam mixture on top as usual. This method lessens the chance of the drink getting watered down.

For Warm Butterbeer: To warm up during the cold months of Winter, just substitute the Cream Soda with milk. In this case, the Butterscotch syrup is a necessity. You can either use a stove, or a microwave to heat it up to desired tempreature. Place the foam on top to finish.

For Alcoholic:We recommend Butterscotch Schnapps but you can also try Frangelica, or Bailey’s Irish Cream. Make sure to put this into the Cream Soda, and not the foam mixture. For this mixture, please be 21 years old and drink responsibly.

A few notes:

You could substitute the foam with store-bought Whipped Cream, but you’re just cheating yourself.

We find it best to chill the foam, more so when you plan to use it to top of the Warm Butterbeer

http://www.orlandounited.com/2011/08/01/theme-parks-at-home-homemade-butterbeer/

Wheaten bread with sesame and sunflower seeds recipe

Wheaten bread with sesame and sunflower seeds recipe

By Mitzie Wilson
Serving instructions
Serves 8-10
Takes 15 minutes to make, plus 30-40 minutes baking
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A delicious. online exclusive recipe: home-made bread is always a winner.

Ingredients
325g wholemeal flour
75g plain flour
40g rolled oats
11/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp sesame seeds, plus extra for sprinkling
2 tbsp sunflower seeds, plus extra for sprinkling
75g walnuts, chopped
325ml natural yogurt
1tbsp honey
50ml milk

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 230c/fan210c/gas 8. Place the flours, oats, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a mixing bowl with the seeds and walnuts. Mix the yogurt and honey together and stir into flour with the milk. Mix gently to make a soft dough
2. Shape lightly and place in a 900g loaf tin. Scatter with a few extra seeds. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 200c/fan180c/gas 6 and bake for a further 20-30 minutes, until golden and firm to the touch. It should sound hollow when the base is tapped. Turn out from the tin and leave to cool on a wire rack.

Chef's tip
This bread keeps for 3-4 days in a plastic bag.

Moroccan lamb tagine

This authentic tagine recipe will take you to slow-cooked perfection in six simple steps – just kick back with a glass of wine until it’s ready.

Ingredients

• 1 tsp cayenne pepper

• 2 tsp ground black pepper

• 1½ tbsp paprika

• 1½ tbsp ground ginger

• 1 tbsp turmeric

• 2 tbsp ground cinnamon

• 1 x shoulder of lamb, trimmed and cut into 5cm/2in chunks (about 1.1kg/2½lb meat in total)

• 2 large onions, grated

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 2 tbsp argan oil

• 3 cloves garlic, crushed

• 570ml/1 pint tomato juice

• 2 x 400g tinned chopped tomatoes

• 115g/4oz dried apricots, cut in half

• 55g/2oz dates, cut in half

• 55g/2oz sultanas or raisins

• 85g/3oz flaked almonds

• 1 tsp saffron stamens, soaked in cold water

• 600ml/1 pint lamb stock

• 1 tbsp clear honey

• 2 tbsp coriander, roughly chopped

• 2 tbsp flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped

Preparation method

1. Preheat the oven to 150C/300F/Gas2.

2. Place the cayenne, black pepper, paprika, ginger, turmeric and cinnamon into a small bowl and mix to combine. Place the lamb in a large bowl and toss together with half of the spice mix. Cover and leave overnight in the fridge.

3. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp of argan oil in a large casserole dish. Add the grated onion and the remaining spice mix and cook over a gentle heat for 10 minutes so that the onions are soft but not coloured. Add the crushed garlic for the final 3 minutes.

4. In a separate frying pan, heat the remaining oil and brown the cubes of lamb on all sides then add the browned meat to the casserole dish. De-glaze the frying pan with ¼ pint of tomato juice and add these juices to the pan.
   
   

   Watch technique1:18 mins

5. Add the remaining tomato juice, chopped tomatoes, apricots, dates, raisins or sultanas, flaked almonds, saffron, lamb stock and honey to the casserole dish. Bring to the boil, cover with a fitted lid, place in the oven and cook for 2-2½ hours or until the meat is meltingly tender.

6. Place the lamb in a tagine or large serving dish and sprinkle over the chopped herbs. Serve.