New Stour & Avon, August 13, 2021
Food & Drink By Loraine Gibson It’s almost plum season. Mine are looking likely to be ready earlier than usual this year and it’ll be a bumper harvest. This takes me to these two easy-peasy recipes that I do each year using either my freshly-harvested (or frozen) plums, but shopbought are good, too. This delicious plum gin needs only three ingredients and is best made about three months prior to drinking, so it would be ready just in time for Christmas, but you can cheat and have it early if you’re feeling a bit maverick. First you need a bottle of gin. Or vodka. Not everyone realises that vodka, essentially a clear, flavourless spirit, is like the base of gin before juniper berries get added to give the classic gin flavour. However, as flavoured gins are the new black, tipplewise, what you add for flavour is up to you. If you’ve a favourite gin use that, if not, vodka it is. I’ve used both, there’s not much difference. Saying that, I prefer a gin base. No idea why! Next you need the fruit. I use plums as I have a Czar plum tree in my garden that yields masses of the things every August, though damsons work well, too. Start with freezing the fruit in a bag overnight (it makes
quarter of apples and a quarter of pears, but you can use them all equally or just do half and half of whatever you’ve got in. Ingredients: 500g mixed fruit Quarter to half tsp cinnamon powder, depending on your taste 75g soft brown or granulated sugar 50g cold butter 100g plain flour 50g demerara sugar
Let’s let ready to crumble de-stoning so easy) or until you’re ready to ‘distill’. You will need: 1 litre Kilner jar 500g fruit 250g sugar 70cl bottle of gin or vodka Method: 1 Put the sugar in the jar. 2 Take fruits from freezer, wrap in a cloth (it may stain) and bash the heck out of them for a few minutes. This splits them open, revealing for easy stone removal. Place the smashed fruit on top of the sugar and stir together. 3 Add all the gin or vodka and stir again. I like to add one or a mix of the following optional ingredients: a couple of star
anise, a cinnamon stick, an uncut chilli, a handful of peppercorns; a bayleaf. Seal and store upright in a cool, dry place. Every few days, whenever you remember, give it a bit of swirl around to mix the ingredients. After three months, or when you’re ready, strain through a very fine sieve, bottle and drink straight as an aperitive, long with tonic and ice, or even mulled. Cheers! Plum, Pear and Apple crumble This crumble is basic and so easy to make, but whenever I serve it people sigh with happiness. My mix is half plums a
Method: 1 Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 4, 180C/160C fan 2 Use smashed, de-stoned frozen plums as per the gin recipe and leave them in chunks then peel and chop apples and pears; mix all the fruit in a bowl with the soft sugar. 3 Line an ovenproof dish with the fruits packed quite tightly. 4 Make the crumble. Chop the butter into chunks and work into the flour with dry, cool hands until it’s a breadcrumb texture then add the demerara sugar; mix in gently. 5 Spread the crumble mix over the top of the fruit (you can sprinkle a little more demerara on top for added crunch) then bake in the middle of the oven 35 to 45 mins or until golden. Serve with good vanilla icecream, cream or hot or cold custard.
How to earn brownie points with the children this summer Chocolate Brownies Brownies are super easy to make and the perfect bake to get the kids involved with during the summer holidays. These brownies are deeply chocolatey and gooey, the secret ingredient is a shot of coffee which really enhances the flavour. Ingredients: For 12 generous servings 32
For a gluten free option, substitute the plain flour for gluten free plain flour. 225g dark chocolate 225g salted butter 5 free range eggs 335g soft brown sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 150g plain flour 1 teaspoon coffee granules dissolved in a little boiling water
Method: Preheat the oven to 175c Line a rectangular brownie tin with baking paper or for ease use a disposable foil tray Place the chocolate and butter into a plastic bowl and melt in the microwave, using short bursts. Stir until the chocolate and butter are fully mixed In another bowl whisk the
