Gin Cranberry Sauce

We wish you a Merry Ginmas! No festive meal is complete without Cranberry Sauce. This version includes Gin for a modern twist on the classic Christmas relish. Perfect to accompany a Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner and would make an ideal edible gift for any gin lover.

We wish you a Merry Ginmas! So far I've added the juniper spirit to Gin Butter and Gin Mincemeat, made a Mulled Gin and rounded up 10 Christmas Gin Recipes for UK Bloggers. Today it's the turn of Cranberry Sauce to get the Gin treatment. Most usually made with Port as the boozy component I whipped up a batch of Gin Cranberry Sauce to accompany a pre-thanksgiving turkey dinner. Fresh cranberries are just beginning to appear in the shops so grab a pack when you spot them and get ahead of the game with your Christmas prep. 

Boozy Gin Mincemeat

Have yourself a Merry Little Ginmas with my recipe for Boozy Gin Mincemeat. Perfect for all those festive cakes and bakes and would make a great Christmas gift for a Gin lover.

We're into November. Halloween and Bonfire night have been and gone with a bang and we're now officially allowed to mention the C word. Yup I'm talking Christmas. Have you put your sprouts on to boil yet?! Of course in with all the shopping, parties and general festivities food (and drink!) plays a huge part. For me nothing says Christmas quite like a mincemeat pie. However I have to limit myself as once I start on them I literally can. not. stop. Last year I created quite a stir with a couple of Gin infused festive recipes. Yup, I'm talking about my Mulled Gin and Ginger Beer winter warmer and my Gin Butter - perfect for your Christmas Pudding and Mince Pies. This year I'm going a step further with my own homemade Boozy Gin Mincemeat. This means you can have a Gin Mincemeat Pie with a dollop of Gin Butter on the side all washed down with a warming glass of Mulled Gin. Sounds like a very Merry Ginmass to me!

There is no minced beef in mincemeat and if you use a vegetarian suet rather than the traditional beef you'll have a Vegan Gin Mincemeat. When it comes to the dried fruit you can either mix up 650g to your own specification or use the same quantity from a pack of dried mixed fruit. I've used raisins, sultanas, currants and craisins but you could also add more exotic flavours such as apricots, cherries, pineapple, ginger, or prunes. If nuts are your thing they too could also be added to the mix - almonds, pecans and pistachios work really well. When it comes to the Gin the world is quite literally your oyster! I used one of my favourite Scottish Gins - there are SO many to choose from. You could even use Sloe Gin or a Mulled Gin for a further festive twist. Slainte! 

Boozy Gin Mincemeat

150g raisins

150g sultanas

150g currants

100g craisins (dried cranberries)

100g mixed peel

OR 650g Mixed Dried Fruit instead of the above five ingredients

200g Shredded Suet (regular or vegetarian)

250g Soft Dark Brown Sugar

1/2 tsp freshly grated Nutmeg

1 tsp Cinnamon

1 tsp Mixed Spice

1 tsp Ginger

1 Lemon - zest and juice

1 Orange - zest and juice

2 Apples, cored and chopped (no need to peel)

150 - 200ml ml Gin

Prepare and mix all of the ingredients - EXCEPT the Gin - in a large ovenproof bowl/dish.

Cover with tinfoil and leave overnight.

The next day preheat your oven to 100c. Once it is up to temperature place the bowl/dish of mincemeat into the oven - still covered with the tinfoil.

Bake for 2 hours 30 minutes.

Remove from the oven and stir well (Don't be alarmed if it looks rather greasy at this point)

Once the mixture is cool stir in the Gin.

Spoon into sterilised jars, packing it down well.

Cover with waxed discs and seal.

Ideally, allow the mincemeat to mature for a fortnight before using.

It will keep in a cool dark place for up to 1 year.

Note from Delia: To sterilise jars, wash the jars and lids in warm soapy water, rinse well, then dry thoroughly with a clean tea cloth, place them on a baking tray and pop into a medium oven, gas mark 4, 350°F, 180°C, for 5 minutes.

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Strawberry and Prosecco Jam

Take your stwrawberry jam to a whole new level of awesomeness his summer with the addition of the fizz of the moment - Prosecco! I'm giving you a legitimate excuse to indulge in booze at breakfast time. There's nothing tastier than a slice of toast with lashings of delicious homemade jam, packed full of fresh fruit. Add Prosecco and this simple pleasure gets even sweeter.

Boozy Jam. What's not to like? 

Folk went crazy for my Gooseberry & Gin Jam recipe. But what another fruit or tipple is more your thing? 

Surely everyone loves Strawberries and Prosecco? Lets make a jam with them! 

Can I let you into a secret? Jam making really isn't complicated at all. This summer Tate & Lyle is inspiring Britain to ‘get jamming’ with its delicious jam recipes, helpful how to films, and handy jam making guide, jam packed with tips and advice for making your own jam. All you need to do is decide on your favourite fruit and Tate & Lyle Jam Sugar will do the rest. You might be worried about the seemingly complex process of reaching the correct "setting point" for your jam. Too hard and you won't be able to spread it on your toast but too runny and it will be dribbling off the edges. Fear not, you can use either a digital or jam thermometer to test for a set or even the old fashioned wrinkle test. It's all explained in the recipe below. 

Have you heard of pectin? It occurs naturally in fruits and acts as a setting agent for your jam. However whilst some fruits like cooking apples and gooseberries are naturally high in Pectin whilst others like strawberries and cherries are low. Tate & Lyle Jam Sugar, made from Fairtrade cane sugar, is the ideal sugar for making jam, acting as a natural preserving agent and enhancing the flavour. It has just the right amount of added pectin which will ensure the perfect set for your homemade jam each and every time. 

My paternal Granny made jam. It was kept in a tall dark musty smelling cupboard with a key in the door and a creaky hinge. I can't recall ever seeing her actually making it but I can still picture the jars and jars lined up on the shelves in the dark with their cellophane tops and neat labels. Raspberry, Strawberry and Bramble are the only three I recall. No out-there flavour combinations in the 70's and 80's. Certainly no booze! There's a wee bit of mystery and ceremony to jam making. I recall my mum placing a saucer in the freezer to cool before testing the set of jam by dripping on a small amount, placing it next to an open window and checking for the wrinkle. The jam jars warming in the oven. Jam spoons and Crystal Jam Pots. The Jeely bag handing precariously balanced on stools and a walking stick. Dire warnings not to touch it or the jelly would be cloudy. Stained fingers, mouths and scratched legs and arms from bramble picking along the old railway. With the help of Tate & Lyle am Sugar homemade jam is easily accessible to all our nostalgic selves, from amateurs to more experienced cooks. Ready? Lets jam! 

Strawberry & Prosecco Jam 

Ingreedients 

1kg Tate & Lyle Jam Sugar 

1kg strawberries, washed, hulled and halved if large 

150ml Prosecco 

Method 

Put the strawberries into a large saucepan and place over a low heat, simmering in their own juices for 5 minutes, stirring gently from time to time until soft. 

Add the Prosecco and stir. 

Then add the Tate & Lyle Jam Sugar and stir gently until dissolved completely. 

Put a couple of small plates in the freezer ready for testing the setting of the jam 

Meanwhile, sterilise 9 x 200mL jars by washing them in hot soapy water, rinsing well, then place them in a low oven at 150°C/Fan 130°C/Gas Mark 2 for 15 minutes. 

Increase the heat steadily to a rolling boil. After 15-20 minutes you can test to see if the setting point is ready. If you are using a Jam Thermometer then you can test it once the temperature reaches 105°C. To test the jam for its setting point, remove the saucepan from the heat and spoon a little jam onto a cold refrigerated plate and leave for a few seconds – it should wrinkle softly when you push your finger through it. 

If the setting point has not been reached, return the saucepan to the heat and continue to boil for another 2-3 minutes. Then repeat the test again with a fresh refrigerated plate. (You may need to test it several times, be patient, as this testing is crucial to achieve the correct consistency). 

Leave the jam to cool for about 10 minutes in the saucepan before skimming off any scum that rises to the surface and then stir well before pouring the jam into the warm sterilized jars. 

Seal with the lids and label. Store in a cool dark place. 

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Disclosure : This is a commissioned post for Tate & Lyle. As always, all views expressed are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands who make it possible for me as a passionate Scottish Food Blogger to continue to share my Edible Food and Travel Adventures with you. I’m super choosy who I work with and promise to bring you only the cream of the crop.

Gooseberry and Gin Jam

Play Gooseberry this summer with my boozy berry jam with a tangy juniper kick. Easy to make Gooseberry & Gin Jam is the perfect way to deal with a glut of berries. G&G is the new G&T! 

When life give you lemons - make lemonade (or put them in your G&T!) But what about when life gives you Gooseberries? The obvious would be make jam. But how about jam with a boozy kick. Gin Jam. Gin & Gooseberry Jam to be precise. Yup. I put Gin in my Jam and rather good it was too. Fair enough there's a bit of novelty factor involved in being allowed to enjoy gin at breakfast time but it also works well in terms of flavour. My lovely friend Julia was chief taste tester and declared it inspired, tangy and not overly sweet. I'd tend to agree. Cheers!

Gin & Gooseberry Jam

1 kg Gooseberries

1 kg Granulated Sugar

150ml Gin

Wash, top and tail the gooseberries, discarding any that are damaged. 

Put the gooseberries and the 150ml of Gin into a preserving/large pan. Bring to the boil then turn down and simmer for about 10 minutes until the fruit is softened. At this point I blitzed the fruit mixture with a stick blender to give a smoother consistency, this is optional if you like a coarser jam. 

Stir in the sugar and cook over a low heat until the it has fully dissolved. 

Increase the heat and boil rapidly for 8-10 minutes before testing to see if your jam is set. 

Meanwhile, sterilise your jam jars by washing thoroughly in very hot soapy water. Rinse in clean hot water then put them upside down on a rack on top of a baking sheet in a 140c oven until they are dry. 

To test if the jam has reached setting point you can use a digital/jam thermometer to check for a temperature of 105c. Alternatively place a saucer in the freezer to chill prior to dropping a small spoonful of jam onto to it. Allow it to cool for a minute then push your finger through the jam – if it wrinkles it’s ready, if not, boil for a few more minutes and check again. 

Once the jam is ready, turn off the heat, skim off any scum or use a knob of butter to disperse it. 

Carefully ladle the jam into the sterilised jars and seal whilst it is still hot. 

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Spiced Apple and Rosehip Jelly

Post in collaboration with Electronic Temperature Instruments

Preserve the taste of Summer into Autumn with a recipe for Spiced Apple and Rosehip Jelly. Nothing tastes better than free foraged food from the hedgerows. 

It's the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness. The leaves are turning, the nights are drawing in and the hedgerows are laden with berries. This is the time of the year where my thoughts turn to preserving. The combination of fruit, sugar and jam jars enables you to enjoy the Autumn harvest for months to come. Of course when it comes to jelly and jam making there's the complex process of reaching the correct "setting point". Too hard and you won't be able to spread it on your toast but too runny and it will be dribbling off the edges. 

When I first started making my own jams and jellies I used the tried and tested method that I'd seen my Mum use over the years. Namely the wrinkle test on a cold saucer. I then moved on to a sugar thermometer but the level of the mercury can be tricky to read and you can end up going beyond the point of setting. Both of these methods are far from foolproof in achieving the magic number of 105 degrees centigrade. I've had a Thermapen Cooks Thermometer for a couple of years now but for some reason had never thought to use if for preserving, although I always use it for roasts and BBQ's. However when Electronic Temperature Instruments asked if I'd like to put the new Superfast Thermapen 4 through its paces by developing a recipe, the time of year meant that preserving was top of my to do list. Cooking apples from my Mum's garden and Rosehips foraged from the hedgerows combine with warming spices in this tasty jelly which works equally well spread on toast or pancakes as it does as a condiment in sandwiches or alongside meat dishes.

SPICED APPLE AND ROSEHIP JELLY

800g Rose Hips

1.5kg Coking Apples chopped (no need to core or peel)

2 Lemons Sliced

30g Ginger Root - sliced

1/2 tsp Cloves

2 x Cinnamon Sticks

Granulated Sugar - 450g for each 575ml of juice

Wash the rosehips and remove any stalks, leaves and dead flower head remains. Place in a jam pan, or a large soup pan, along with 2 pints of water. Simmer for 30 minutes and then give them a good mash with a potato masher to break them up.

Add the apples and a further 4 pints of water to the pan along with the sliced lemons, ginger, cloves and cinnamon sticks. Bring to the boil and simmer for a further hour.

Strain for at least 2 hours in a jelly bag. Don't be tempted to push it through or you will get a cloudy result. 

Measure the resulting juice and add sugar in the proportions of 450g for each 575ml of juice. (if like me, you still work on imperial measurements at this stage it's 1lb sugar for every 1 pint)

Dissolve over a gentle heat and bring to a rolling boil until you reach setting point of 105°C (220°F)

Pour into sterilised jars and seal.

I was really impressed with the performance of the New SuperFast Thermapen 4 Cooks Thermometer. It is even more intuitive than my existing model. The temperature display automatically rotates through 360 degrees so you can see it at any angle. My left handed son found this really useful as he's normally trying to read the display on our existing one upside down. There's also a handy backlight which turns on automatically. Great for when the light is poor or for outdoor use at BBQ's. If you need a boost of light just cover the sensor with your finger. There's a motion-sensing sleep mode which automatically turns the Thermapen 4 on or off when you pick it up or put it down. It will stay on all the time you are using it, but the sleep mode will save battery life which comes in at 3000 hours in normal use. Close the probe when you’re finished and the Thermapen 4 turns off for storage. 

Its easy to see why the SuperFast Thermapen is the UK’s number one selling food thermometer. High-tech, yet fast, accurate and easy to use over the range of -49.9 to 299.9 °C. The true temperature of a product can be tested in just three seconds, over 50% faster than traditional probes. The stainless steel, penetration probe conveniently folds back through 180° into the side of the instrument when not in use. No stabbing yourself when you rummage in the drawer for it. The Thermapen 4 is priced, at £60 and is available in ten vibrant colours direct from www.thermapen.co.uk

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Disclosure: This is a commissioned post for Electronic Temperature Instruments. As always, all views expressed are my own.

Thank you for supporting the brands who make it possible for me as a passionate Scottish Food Blogger to continue to share my Edible Food and Travel Adventures with you. I’m super choosy who I work with and promise to bring you only the cream of the crop.

Dandelion Jam & Nettle Soup

My partner in crime when it comes to outdoor family food and foraging events is the lovely Mandy Tulloch of Mud Pie Adventures. Together we've ran Wild Garlic Bear Hunts, Blaeberry Bashes, Bramble Rambles and Shortest Day Food in the Woods events. We're currently plotting our activities for the Summer Holidays so if you are in Aberdeen/shire do make sure you are on the Mud Pies mailing list to be kept up to date with our plans. This week she shared a couple of wild food recipe suggestions on my Foodie Quine Facebook page and they caused quite a stir with my followers so I asked her if I could repost them on my blog to avoid them disappearing into the abyss of old facebook posts. 

We did venture into the delicious world of the nettles at one of our previous events when we cooked up a batch of nettle crisps. Simply deep fried nettles. Great on their own or with a sprinkle of either salt or sugar. Promise they won't sting your mouth. I also enjoyed them as tea and spring greens on a Prehistoric Cookery Weekend with Wild Rose Escapes. 

Without further ado, over to Mandy for her versions of Dandelion Jam & Nettle Soup...

Well I'm feeling very pleased this morning. I've made some dandelion jam and it tastes great - very much like honey believe it or not! I used the Wild About Food recipe. There's still at least week's worth of flowers before they all turn to seed so give it a go! We collected 150 flower heads. Yes, that sounds a lot but give a child a pair of scissors and they're off. Make sure you cut the stem off completely at the base - it has a bitter tasting white sap you don't want in your jam. 150 flowers makes 1 jar of jam (a half quantity of the Wild About Food recipe)

Boil a sugar syrup then add the flowers and simmer for 20 minutes. Leave to infuse overnight. I wasn't too sure about the end product - looked a bit sludgy to me! Until tomorrow...

Strain last night's infusion and simmer for another 20 minutes. I left some petals in as it looks nice and didn't add any pectin so it's more of a jelly than a jam but it looks and tastes great. I will definitely be doing this next year.

We had nettle soup for dinner tonight. No, it wasn't sludgy and slimy but fresh, delicious and easy to make. Here's how: pick a carrier bag of nettle tips. Saute some veg - we used onions, garlic, celery, carrots and leeks. Add some good stock - say vegetable or chicken - and bring to the boil. Throw in the nettles and simmer for 3 minutes. Blitz, season and enjoy! 

Not a sting in sight. We discovered that if you put the bowl under the nettle and snip you don't get stung!

Vegetable base for soup - onions, garlic, carrots, celery and leeks. You can use anything you like. Check the nettles for beasties, wash and throw in to the pot along with the stock. Liquidise for a few seconds, season and serve. Yum, especially with croutons!

Thanks to Mandy and her family for sharing their fantastic wild food creations. I'm definitely planning to get out and about this weekend and attempt to make both. There's very possibly enough of both nettles and dandelions at the bottom of my garden! I'm hoping there might still be a wee bit of Wild Garlic lurking to add to the soup. I asked my fellow food bloggers if they had any Dandelion or Nettle Recipes to share and I was pleasantly surprised at what they came up with. The Dandelion Honeys are along very similar lines to Mandy's Jam. Have fun eating weeds!

Dandelion Honey by Elizabeth's Kitchen Diary

Dandelion Petal & Lemon Cookies with Kale Lemon Drizzle by Veggie Deserts

Dandelion Honey by Tin & Thyme

Nettle & Feta Ravioli by The Hedge Combers

Salmon & Nettle Tart by Farmersgirl Kitchen

Nettle & Lemon Cake by Veggie Deserts

Spring Tonic Nettle Smoothie by Tin & Thyme

Plus a couple from my foraging partner in crime. Mark Williams of Galloway Wild Foods

Dock, Dandelion and Nettle Spring Puddings

Dandelion Tonic Water

Fuss Free Flavours & Fab Food 4 All

Ren Behan

Homemade Rhubarb Gin Liqueur

What to do with a glut of rhubarb in the garden? Forget about crumble and instead make a fantastic homemade rhubarb gin liqueur. All you need is gin, sugar and rhubarb plus your choice of additional flavourings (and a little bit of patience) Great served on its own, with a mixer or with Prosecco.

Rhubarb. Rhubarb. Rhubarb. I love the stuff. Literally can't get enough of it. When it's on a menu for desert I can't see past it. For many years I had a small clump in my garden but it never really did very much and only produced a handful of stems, barely enough for an annual crumble. Then we moved it to a different spot and now it flourishes. Whilst I do absolutely LOVE a rhubarb crumble or compote, nothing can beat Homemade Rhubarb Gin Liqueur. It's great on its own or served with a mixer. Particularly wonderful with Prosecco. 

RHUBARB GIN (or Vodka) 

1 litre gin or vodka 

600g Rhubarb 

300g Sugar 

Optional Flavouring - Vanilla Pod, Ginger, Cinnamon Stick, Cloves, Lemon Zest, Orange Zest, Chilli 

• Wash and chop rhubarb and crush with a pestle and mortar or similar.
• Combine with the sugar and gin/vodka in a suitable receptacle (large Kilner style jar or sweet shop jar)
• Add your desired choice of additional flavourings.
• At this point you need to be very patient (good things come to those who wait) and hide it away somewhere dark for a few weeks before you can sieve bottle and enjoy.

MORE of my Rhubarb Recipes

• Rhubarb Curd
• Rhubarb & Ginger Pavlova
• Rhubarb & Ginger Brioche Bread & Butter Pudding
• Rhubarb Streusel Manuka Honey Muffins

Spiced Apple Jelly

...otherwise entitled I'm Jammin, I'm Jammin, I'm Jammin. I'm Jammin. I hope you like Jammin too? I've been busy in the kitchen preserving the Autumn harvest. 44 jars so far...

• Rosehip & Apple Jam
• Bramble Jelly
• Bramble & Apple Curd
• Bramble & Apple Jelly
• Rowan, Apple & Rosemary Jelly
• Plum & Vanilla Jam
• Spiced Apple Jelly

Bramble Jelly was the first to be made. No real recipe to share I'm afraid as I just kind of wing it as far as jelly is concerned. Use enough water to just cover the brambles and simmer until juicy and pulpy. Drain overnight through a jelly bag (hockey stick optional) and add 1lb of jam sugar for every pint of juice. Heat slowly until sugar is dissolved then bring to the boil until setting point is reached. Pour into cooled, sterilised jars and seal.

Parentals arrived for the weekend armed with a basket of cooking apples so they were roped in to a full scale production line of preserves and I put a shout out to my local friends for additional empty jam jars. They answered my plea and will be rewarded jammily.

Bramble and Apple Jelly was next. I did a half and half mix of fruits. No need to peel or core the apples as the jelly bag does all the hard work. Wasn't sure what the pectin levels would be like so I used half jam and half granulated sugar to be on the safe side. I bought a sugar thermometer earlier this year after a fudge failure so used it in addition to the cold saucer and wrinkle test.

Whilst out picking brambles we couldn't help but notice the amazing crop of Rosehips. Huge berries and an amazing spectrum of colours from orange through to deep red. I've since been told on Twitter that these are also know as "Itchy Bombs". Apparently naughty children have been know to split them open having the seeds tipped down your back is somewhat itchy. 

It was my intention to make a clear jelly with these but they are so seedy that even with the addition of apples hardly any juice came through the jelly bag. Back to the drawing board and I sieved the pulp and made a Rosehip & Apple Jam. Not quite sure how to use the result to be honest so will have to experiment. Interesting, but not unpleasant, flavour. The jury is out so to speak.

I've already shared the tale of Professor Plum in the Kitchen with the Jam Pan so I'll not take up any further space telling you about my 14 jars of Plum and Vanilla Jam. Suffice to say its affa good with a bannock.

Girl's middle name is Rowan so much excitement when I said we could make some jam from "her". An amazing crop of berries on the trees. I was unsure how tart the resulting jelly would be so added some apple to the mix and sprigs of Rosemary for extra flavour. Really pleased how it turned out. Fantastically good with cold meats or cheese and a gorgeous colour.

Spiced Apple Jelly is one of my must make gifts for Christmas and it went down very well last year. Had clearly given up taking photos by this point as there are none of it being made. But here's the recipe. It works well as a savoury accompaniment to meats and cheeses but also sweet enough to be good on toast.

SPICED APPLE JELLY

2lb Cooking Apples chopped (no need to core or peel)

2 lemons sliced

1oz Ginger Root chopped

Cinamon Stick

1/2 tsp Cloves

Sugar - 1lb for every pint of juice.

Place everything bar sugar in a large pan with 3 pints of water. Bring to the boil and simmer until apples are very soft. Anything up to an hour. Strain overnight in a jelly bag. Don't push it through or you will get a cloudy result. Add sugar to the resulting juice, dissolve over a gentle heat and bring to a boil until you reach setting point. 

So that's pretty much it on the preservation front this year although I still quite fancy doing mint jelly and surprisingly haven't made any chutney yet. If anyone local in Aberdeen/shire has a glut of fruit/veg in their garden I would still happily take it off your hands and make even more! I must get around to making Elizabeth's Tomato and Courgette Chutney.