The sloes that you collected so carefully and are now infused with the gin in which they have been steeping for the last three months don’t have to be discarded once that job is done. This simple recipe shows how they can be transferred into another guise.
Preparation Time: 15 minutes to de-stone and macerate.
Ingredients
- Sloes that have been steeped in gin and sugar or honey (approx 300ml)
- Slabs of high grade fairtrade dark chocolate (300gm of Peruvian 70% cocoa solids)
Method:
- Spread the sloes out on a sizeable chopping board and begin to macerate with the back of a wooden spoon or similar flat implement.
- Once they are broken, take a small sharp knife and remove the very small stones from each one. Put the stones well away from the flesh so they don’t find their way back in.
- Continue to macerate them; if the skins remain intact, you may want to chop them a little.
- Break the chocolate up into a non-stick saucepan and melt it very gently over a low heat.
- Once it is runny, stir in the sloes. The mixture will thicken up quite quickly.
- Use a small teaspoon to scoop out the mixture and form individual chocolates, placing them on a flat baking sheet or tray. Alternatively, transfer all the mixture on to a lined baking tray and spread it evenly so that it forms a slab.
- Put in a refrigerator or cool place to set.
Tips
You may find it easier to just squeeze the stone out of the sloe – it depends on how soft yours are.
This recipe also works well with other types of hedgerow fruit that has been steeped.
The quantities are a matter of personal taste and they will store for some months so you have no excuse to eat too many at one go.
