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Sloe Gin

500g sloes, picked over and washed

500g castor sugar

1 litre Gin

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Either prick the sloes with a fork or place in the freezer overnight.

Place in a sterilised kilner jar and add the sugar and gin.

Seal the top.

Shake twice a day for a week and then allow to settle.

Gin should be ready in 6 weeks but the longer you leave it the better.

Strain into bottles and serve with ice and tonic.

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Sloe Gin Roast Plums

8 Victoria plums or 4 regular large ones

100ml sloe gin

100g sugar

Zest and juice 1 orange

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Boil the gin, sugar, orange juice and zest together until syrupy.

Halve and stone the plums and then place in a baking dish. Cut larger ones in half again.

Pour over the syrup and cover with parchment paper.

Cook in a 180oc oven until just soft – for about 30 minutes.

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Torta

Sloe gin roasted plums

225g self raising flour

125g castor sugar

1 egg

125ml whole milk

Zest and juice of a lemon

60g melted butter

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Set oven to 170oc and grease and line a cake tin with parchment paper.

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Place the lemon juice into the milk.

Place the sugar and egg in another bowl and whisk together for 30 seconds.

Sift in the flour and then mix in the milk mixture.

Fold in the melted butter and spoon into the tin.

Insert the plum pieces into the cake (reserve the juice to serve later).

Bake for about 30 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean.

Cool and then remove from the tin.

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Damson Semifreddo

250g damsons

150g sugar

500ml double cream

4 tablespoons condensed milk

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Wash the damsons and place in a saucepan with the sugar.

Bring to the boil and then simmer until soft.

Strain through a sieve and cool.

Whisk the cream to soft peaks and then fold in the damson puree and condensed milk. Pour into a plastic container and freeze.

Serve with the torta and drizzle over some of the cooking syrup from the plums.

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