Sweet treats.

 

Melting Moments are one of the things that always sell well at markets. Visitors too appreciate them with a nice warming cuppa.  Made with butter…no margarine…actually I always use butter when baking…nothing else gives the same result.

So without further ado here is the recipe:

150g butter

75g icing sugar

25g cornflour

150g self raising flour

raspberry jam

icing sugar, for dusting

Heat the oven to gas mark 5, 190c. Cream butter and icing sugar…then add the sifted flour and cornflour. You should have a softish squidgy dough.  If too soft work in a little more flour.

Arrange 14 paper cases in fairy cake tins. Roll the dough into walnut sized balls…place in baking cases…then using a teaspoon dipped in hot water make an indentation in each one.

Bake in the pre-heated oven for 15-17 minutes until lightly coloured.

While they’re still hot drop about half a teaspoon of jam…I always use raspberry…into the hole.

When cool dust with icing sugar using a tea strainer.

Store in a tin. Makes 14-17 delicious morsels.

Happy baking!

Blackcurrant Cordial.

With all those delicious vitamin C and antioxidant filled Blackcurrants almost all harvested and frozen it’s time to think what to do with them. I will as usual make lots of Blackcurrant Jam. This sells well at local shops and markets. I also want to make a Blackcurrant Chutney this year. Anyone out there ever made a chutney from Blackcurrants? Do you have a good recipe to share?

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Blackcurrant cordial is another definite to make. It’s a great way to get your Vitamin c throughout the Winter. It makes a lovely hot drink too, just add hot water to your cordial and a little honey if desired.   So without further ado here is the recipe:

Blackcurrant Cordial

500g blackcurrants

275g sugar

250ml water

half a teaspoon of citric acid

In a heavy based saucepan simmer everything together for 5 minutes. Using a potato masher, break up the fruit to release all the juice. Add the citric acid and simmer for another 2 minutes. Strain through a double layer of muslin, Pour into sterilised bottles while still hot.

If you would like to fortify your cordial with brandy just let the cordial cool and add brandy before bottling.

Blackcurrant season is here.

 

As the good weather continues the Blackcurrants are ready for picking. Usually I would cut off the branches and then pick the fruit from them en masse. This year however despite all the sunshine the fruit is ripening in stages. I suspect this is something to do with the garden being shaded for part of the day by the many trees. It makes the job a bit easier anyway as all the fruit doesn’t have to be harvested together.

 

The tree shade made it easier to pick in the scorching temperatures we’ve had all week. I moved as the sun moved…always seeking the shade. Thankfully rain is forecast for the week ahead. The garden needs it as the ground is already cracking.

 

These Blackcurrants need a good prune as I suspect they hadn’t been pruned for about 2 years. Lots of them planted here by the previous owners. My neighbour tells me the were all grown from cuttings taken from her garden. No clue as to the varieties but who cares so long as they produce a crop.

I find harvesting a relaxing pastime. What could be nicer…sitting in the shade picking your Vitamin C supply for the Winter ahead. Actually Blackcurrants are just as much a superfood as the much lauded Blueberry. They are full of antioxidants and are good for problems with joint inflammation, eyestrain and urinary tract infections.

 

 

As always Lettie is nearby when I’m in the garden. She too was seeking shade but not quite getting it right. Freddie doesn’t seem to like the Sun…he retreats to his bed when it’s very hot.

 

All the Blackcurrants are frozen…one kilo in each bag. This is enough to make 7 or 8 12oz pots of jam or 3 bottles of cordial. Time for all that when the harvesting is done. I sell my jams and chutneys to a few local shops and also at occasional markets I attend. I am sharing with you my recipe or Blackcurrant Jam. It uses less water than usual…just a pint…but this helps to give a stronger flavour jam that sets easily.

Blackcurrant Jam.

2lbs 4ozs Blackcurrants

1 pint water

3lbs 6ozs sugar

Place the Blackcurrants and water together in a large thick bottomed pan. Bring to the boil, reduce to simmer and cook until the fruit is softened. The contents of the pan should be reduced by half . Add the sugar. Stir well whilst bringing all to a full rolling boil. Boil hard until a set is obtained. Pot and seal whilst still hot.

Happy jamming.

Bridget