Recipe
4 pints hawthorn berries
3 lb / 1,350 grams sugar
1 lb / 450 grams sultanas
Citric acid
Campden tablet
Yeast energizer
Water up to 1 gallon
Wine yeast
Method
Boil the hawthorn berries and place in fermentation bucket. Add the sultanas and sugar and stir vigorously to dissolve the sugar. When cool add the citric acid, yeast energizer and wine yeast. Cover and leave for five days in a warm place, stirring daily. Strain and put into a demijohn and fit an airlock to seal the jar.
Store in a warm place and allow the fermentation to work. When fermentation has ceased, rack the wine into a clean jar and place in a cooler environment and leave. When the wine is clear and stable siphon into bottles.
Notes
Taken from http://www.wine-making-guides.com/hawthorn_berry_wine.html
Update
Not tried this yet but now's the best time (Early January) when the haws are fat and ripest.
Thursday, 19 January 2012
Hazelnut Shortbread
Recipe
3 cups of plain flour.
¾ cup of granulated sugar.
?½? cup of hazelnuts?
¼ teaspoon of salt.
1 ¼ cups of unsalted butter, in pieces.
Method
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C)
Shell the hazelnuts and place directly on a baking tray. Roast for 5-10 minutes or until the skins begin to crack. Remove and place on a tea towel. Roll the contents inside to dislodge the skins.
Remove from tea towel and dispose of skins then place hazelnuts in plastic freezer bag and bash with rolling pin (or use food whizzy thing) until effectively ground.
Now reduce the oven temperature to 325°F (160°C).
In a suitably sized bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, hazelnuts and salt.
Cut the butter into flour mixture with a knife until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
Knead until the mixture holds together; then divide the dough in half.
Position each of the halves on an ungreased baking sheet.
Pat each out into a nine-inch circle, then crimp the edges.
Cut each circle into 12 equal wedges, but do not separate.
Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown.
Allow to cool for 10 minutes.
Recut to separate wedges.
Allow the shortbread to cool completely
Notes
The main Shortbread recipe was lifted from http://www.hazelnutrecipes.org/hazelnut-shortbread.html but since i'm not keen on destroying the whole flavour with Chocolate, i removed that bit. I also picked the hazelnuts myself so needed to roast them. I lifted that method from the utube video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7bb1GsMEok
Update
Last year saw a bumper crop of wild Hazelnuts in late August/early September and i collected and stored a big tub of them. Only now in January have i considered making something out of them and what better sweet than Hazelnut shortbread.
3 cups of plain flour.
¾ cup of granulated sugar.
?½? cup of hazelnuts?
¼ teaspoon of salt.
1 ¼ cups of unsalted butter, in pieces.
Method
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C)
Shell the hazelnuts and place directly on a baking tray. Roast for 5-10 minutes or until the skins begin to crack. Remove and place on a tea towel. Roll the contents inside to dislodge the skins.
Remove from tea towel and dispose of skins then place hazelnuts in plastic freezer bag and bash with rolling pin (or use food whizzy thing) until effectively ground.
Now reduce the oven temperature to 325°F (160°C).
In a suitably sized bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, hazelnuts and salt.
Cut the butter into flour mixture with a knife until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
Knead until the mixture holds together; then divide the dough in half.
Position each of the halves on an ungreased baking sheet.
Pat each out into a nine-inch circle, then crimp the edges.
Cut each circle into 12 equal wedges, but do not separate.
Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown.
Allow to cool for 10 minutes.
Recut to separate wedges.
Allow the shortbread to cool completely
Notes
The main Shortbread recipe was lifted from http://www.hazelnutrecipes.org/hazelnut-shortbread.html but since i'm not keen on destroying the whole flavour with Chocolate, i removed that bit. I also picked the hazelnuts myself so needed to roast them. I lifted that method from the utube video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7bb1GsMEok
Update
Last year saw a bumper crop of wild Hazelnuts in late August/early September and i collected and stored a big tub of them. Only now in January have i considered making something out of them and what better sweet than Hazelnut shortbread.
Bachelor Bread
Recipe
Dried milk Powder
Self raising Flour
Rice Milk (or milk or Water)
Method
Bung a portion of the flour into a bowl and add same again (or maybe a bit less) of milk powder. Add milk and stir with knife until thickened into a dough. Nead only until most of the flour and milk powder is absorbed into Dough. Add more ingredient to bulk up until it fits snugly inside bread tin.
Cook in 200 degree oven for about 30 minutes.
Notes
Lifted from a Ray Mears episode. No measurements were given so i never used any.
The name of the bread was simply chosen because of the simplicity and speed in making it.
Adding salt is optional as is adding other things like sugar, honey, berries or even nuts.
Personally i love the above recipe on its own simply warm from the oven with salted butter.
Dried milk Powder
Self raising Flour
Rice Milk (or milk or Water)
Method
Bung a portion of the flour into a bowl and add same again (or maybe a bit less) of milk powder. Add milk and stir with knife until thickened into a dough. Nead only until most of the flour and milk powder is absorbed into Dough. Add more ingredient to bulk up until it fits snugly inside bread tin.
Cook in 200 degree oven for about 30 minutes.
Notes
Lifted from a Ray Mears episode. No measurements were given so i never used any.
The name of the bread was simply chosen because of the simplicity and speed in making it.
Adding salt is optional as is adding other things like sugar, honey, berries or even nuts.
Personally i love the above recipe on its own simply warm from the oven with salted butter.
Monday, 9 January 2012
Rosehip Wine
Recipe
2lb fresh rosehips
1 tsp citric acid
1 tsp citric acid
3lb sugar
1 gallon water
yeast and nutrient
pectice enzyme
Method
Start by boiling up the gallon of water and while this is on the go wash the rose hips well then crush, cut and chop (or blitz in small food whizzer).
Put sugar into polythene bucket and add the crushed rosehips.
Pour the boiled water over the sugar/rosehips and stir to fully dissolve the sugar. Leave to cool and then add pectic enzyme.
After 24 hours later add the citric acid, yeast and nutrient.
Leave closely covered in a warm place for 2 weeks stirring daily.
Strain the liquor through nylon bag and put into demijohn. Fit airlock and continue to ferment until the wine clears, approx 3 months.
Rack off into clean demijohn and store in bulk for a further 3 months.
Rack again then bottle.
Remember to keep all wine equipment sterilised at all times not forgetting the daily stirring spoon.
Notes
This recipe was lifted from http://www.rivercottage.net/recipes/rosehip-wine-medium/
Update
Transferred to Demijohn and waiting to clear.
Saturday, 31 December 2011
Sloe Gin
Recipe50g Dark brown sugar
175 cl Dry Gin
Sloes
300 cl Bottle
Method
Fill Bottle with scoulding hot water from kettle to sterilise then empty.
Place Gin into Bottle then add sugar.
Place sloes into bottle until displaced liquid rises to top then screw/cork bottle.
Leave for 3 months or more.
Notes
I used Richmond London dry Gin 70cl because it provides 4 300cl bottles.
For bottle i used Asda's own White wine or Cider vinegar bottles since these provide exactly 300 cl and the label can be easily removed by soaking in hot water.
I used dark brown sugar as i find it takes the sloe gin to another dimension, but other sugars are fine.
One year i'll try honey, but not yet :p
175 cl Dry Gin
Sloes
300 cl Bottle
Method
Fill Bottle with scoulding hot water from kettle to sterilise then empty.
Place Gin into Bottle then add sugar.
Place sloes into bottle until displaced liquid rises to top then screw/cork bottle.
Leave for 3 months or more.
Notes
I used Richmond London dry Gin 70cl because it provides 4 300cl bottles.
For bottle i used Asda's own White wine or Cider vinegar bottles since these provide exactly 300 cl and the label can be easily removed by soaking in hot water.
I used dark brown sugar as i find it takes the sloe gin to another dimension, but other sugars are fine.
One year i'll try honey, but not yet :p
Monday, 3 October 2011
Wine Updates
Damson Wine (1 Demijohn)
At stage 13
Due for change : October 20th - Rack off sediment
Elderberry Wine (1 Demijohn)
At stage 1
Due for change : October 3rd 2011 - Rack off sediment
Blackberry Wine (2 Demijohns)
At stage 3
Due for change : November 11th 2011 - Rack off sediment
Elderflower Wine (2 Demijohns)
At stage 4
Due for change : October 26th 2011 - Decant to Bottles
Plum Wine (5 Bottles)
At stage 3
Due for change : February 6th 2012
Hawthorn Wine (-)
Rosehip Wine (-)
Due for change : Approx April 18th (until clear)
At stage 13
Due for change : October 20th - Rack off sediment
Elderberry Wine (1 Demijohn)
At stage 1
Due for change : October 3rd 2011 - Rack off sediment
Blackberry Wine (2 Demijohns)
At stage 3
Due for change : November 11th 2011 - Rack off sediment
Elderflower Wine (2 Demijohns)
At stage 4
Due for change : October 26th 2011 - Decant to Bottles
Plum Wine (5 Bottles)
At stage 3
Due for change : February 6th 2012
Hawthorn Wine (-)
Rosehip Wine (-)
Due for change : Approx April 18th (until clear)
Friday, 30 September 2011
Hawthorn fruit bars
Recipe
Hawthorn Berries (Haws)
Method
Wash thoroughly and remove stalks then place berries in a large bowl.
Wash hands thoroughly as it all hands in time. Squeeze the berries with hands to turn into a conjealing mush of stone and flesh.
Now take a handful of the mush and squeeze so the stones are left in ones palm. Discard them and continue until all stones removed.
Place mush between two grease proof sheets and roll out until thin.
Place onto a baking tray and put in a warm dry place (i put mine on the overnight storage heater).
Leave for 2 to 3 days then remove baking paper and slice into bars.
Dry in the warm place until bars are hard.
Notes
Taken from a Ray Mears Episode. These are best made from late October to December when the fruit is ripe and fleshy.
Update
Tried to make this last week as fruit is ripening early this year but it seems not so with haw berries. Catching them early means the berries lack the ripeness, fleshy quality that time provides.
The result for me was that the stones where almost impossible to sieve out and it only left a rather sour mush behind that dried well but was less palatable.
Hawthorn Berries (Haws)
Method
Wash thoroughly and remove stalks then place berries in a large bowl.
Wash hands thoroughly as it all hands in time. Squeeze the berries with hands to turn into a conjealing mush of stone and flesh.
Now take a handful of the mush and squeeze so the stones are left in ones palm. Discard them and continue until all stones removed.
Place mush between two grease proof sheets and roll out until thin.
Place onto a baking tray and put in a warm dry place (i put mine on the overnight storage heater).
Leave for 2 to 3 days then remove baking paper and slice into bars.
Dry in the warm place until bars are hard.
Notes
Taken from a Ray Mears Episode. These are best made from late October to December when the fruit is ripe and fleshy.
Update
Tried to make this last week as fruit is ripening early this year but it seems not so with haw berries. Catching them early means the berries lack the ripeness, fleshy quality that time provides.
The result for me was that the stones where almost impossible to sieve out and it only left a rather sour mush behind that dried well but was less palatable.
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