Guest blog: 2 essential recipes for modern women

These superb recipes are from Ann Godridge, a dear friend and the recipes should be in every single womans cooking portfolio. Even if they cannot make anything else.

Thank you Ann. Much appreciated.

Blackberry Vodka and Blackberry Vodka Chocolate Truffles by Ann Godridge

No affiliation with either supplier- other than addiction to buying kitchen gadgets

Blackberry Vodka

The first thing to make is the blackberry vodka.

This is probably the easiest thing I’ve ever made, and also one of the most appreciated. All you need is blackberries, sugar and vodka and a bit of patience.

You’ll also need an old fashioned potato masher, a large preserving jar (or several), a sieve and some muslin.

I used 5 large 1 litre preserving jars, and ended up with 5 and a bit half litre bottles of vodka. I’m told that the end result is even nicer when matured, but apparently I’m not going to find that out this year – I don’t think any will survive until the next batch is ready. And yes, I plan to make more next year.

Make sure your preserving jars are nice and clean. You can use them straight out of the dishwasher, but be careful not to put your fingers in, or you can wash them with hot water and dry them out on a baking tray in the oven on a low heat. Make sure you’ve washed your masher too.

Wash and pick over the blackberries. Measure two generous cups full into the preserving jar, and then get in there with the potato masher and bash them around a bit. You want them to release all their lovely juice and flavour into the vodka, so don’t be too gentle. Pour in 1 cup of sugar, and 2 cups of vodka, and stir around to start dissolving the sugar. Put the lid on making sure you have a tight seal.

Now you store them for somewhere cool for between 8 and 12 weeks, and just give them a good shake twice a week.

At the end of that time comes the potentially messy part. Line a clean sieve with muslin, and strain the mixure over a clean jug one jar at a time, and then por into clean bottles – sterilised as above. (Don’t bake the rubber seals if you have them, you can simmer them in boiling water for a couple of minutes though). Don’t mash the blackberries around too much at this stage because you don’t want the result to be cloudy. I have to confess that I kept back a big bowl of vodka sodden blackberries and made a slightly cloudy final half bottle by squeezing every last drop out of them. No one really minded, but if you are going to give bottles as gifts, the clear dark red liquid does look wonderful, and is worth the extra care.

Oh, and you didn’t want to keep your white worktops white, did you? You might just need to keep some old fashioned bleach handy to wipe down after you have blackberry stains everywhere.

You can, of course, use the same method with other fruits to good effect. Damsons (or sloes) with gin are traditional – although the recipe I read talked about pricking the fruits with a pin to let the juice out – sounds a bit fiddly to me. Or you can try plums or cherries with brandy, or other fruits with vodka. I did think I might try a small amount of raspberries next year – but the blackberries are freely available – which is irresistible.

Blackberry Vodka Chocolate Truffles

Again, an easy, cheat’s way to make some delicious chocolates.

The traditional method of making a chocolate ganache involves boiling cream in a bowl over a saucepan of hot water, and melting chocolate in it at the right temperature. My method was borrowed from the Barbara Kafka book, The Microwave Gourmet, and is very easy.

Chop a hundred grams of good dark chocolate in the food processor, or grate it by hand. In a microwavable glass jug, measure out half a cup of runny double cream.

Zap the cream in the microwave for thirty seconds until it is warm, and then tip the chocolate in

Zap again, for no more than 15 seconds at a time until the chocolate is almost melted, and then stop. It will finish melting in the heat already there. If you like at this point you can add a small knob of unsalted butter, which makes the flavour a bit smoother and richer…and your flavouring of choice. I used a tablespoon of blackberry vodka, but you could also use a coffee liqueur, a cherry brandy, or half a teaspoon of peppermint essence or orange essence. The brave might want to try half a teaspoon of tabasco to make chili choccies…or chopped toasted nuts, such as almonds or hazlenuts are also good.

You do need to use a small hand whisk to beat the mixure quickly until it is smooth and shiny. One of these from Lakeland, as recommended by Delia, is ideal

Whisk

Then cover the mixture with clingfilm, pushing down so that it touches the surface. Allow it to cool to room temperature, and then chill in the fridge overnight before shaping your truffles.

Again, this is the messy bit. You need a teaspoon and a big plate covered with good cocoa powder, and a tray covered with foil to place them on to chill.

Dig out a teaspoonful of the mixture and roll it around in your hands to create a ball. It doesn’t matter if they aren’t perfect – that is part of their charm. They could also be made into little log shapes if you like. But your hands will get very messy so make sure they are clean, or wear surgical gloves. Then you finish the truffles off by rolling them in the cocoa powder, and place them on your foil lined tray. Chill in the fridge until they are firm.

These chocolates really should be eaten in a couple of weeks, because of the cream. Keep them in the fridge, or you could freeze them for a little longer. You can buy pretty little glassine or foil cases to sit them in a box if you want to give them as a gift, or you can wrap them in foil sweet wrappers and pop them in a cellophane bag with a ribbon. You can buy these from the Jane Asher Sugarcraft shop.

I don’t usually like liqueur based chocolates, but these were quite subtle, and taste very fruity. You may want to try with a little extra blackberry vodka or other liqueur if you want more kick – but not too much or you will make the ganache mixture too runny. I made one batch with 1/4 cup of chopped toasted almonds that had an almost Toblerone like texture, which some people enjoyed. And if you like you can finish them off by dipping them in melted chocolate.

Ann can be found regularly blogging at Straw into Gold and making our mouths water on Facebook.

Sarah

PS this blog was very successful and we are thrilled to add that Ann has accepted our offer to become one of our resident bloggers. Please subscribe to our feed to read on a regular basis