Anyone fancy a luxury larder challenge?

[WaitingForMe]

If we started on Monday we could do twelve projects prior to December. I'm thinking flavoured sprits, cakes, puddings, mincemeat etc.

Does anyone fancy joining me?

Disclaimer: I'm a poncetastic lunatic who can't wait until 25th Sept

I'd be happy to post the recipes I'll be doing.

I'm so in!

I do Christmas pudding vodka every year but would love to add to the poncetasticness!

Yes please! Ok I was in the park yesterday and noticed lotsof fruit I couldn't identify, time to google I think. What can you use rowans for?

I've made blackberry and apple gin today very pleased with myself. Never made it before or used sloes or damsons. I found the recipe online think it was the telegraph. This is my first attempt at anything homemade for Christmas but watching with interest for some beginner tips.

I am desperate to make sloe gin this year, so count me in. I just don't know where to go to find the sloes!

I made mincemeat two years ago and still have some left, so I'm hoping that will still be ok this year. Last year it tasted even better than the year I made it. It has heaps of alcohol in it so it should have kept well.

I also fancy making a flavoured vodka, so any ideas gratefully appreciated.

I made an amazing cake last year to my Granny's old recipe, so I think I'll do that again this year. I must give more of it away this year though, as it is huge and I ended up eating most of it myself. I really mustn't do that again this year!

Oh blackberry and apple gin sounds good, Myname - do you have the recipe?

New to all this so not sure how to link but it was 300g sugar, 250g blackberries, 1 apple finely chopped and 750 ml of gin or vodka and believe me if I can make it, it's got to be simple.

Great, thanks! Did you just put it all in a kilner jar?

anne yes I put the sugar in first then the fruit then the gin, I did sterilise them in the dishwasher first. They need turning every day or so for the first few weeks then weekly just to help the sugar dissolve. Are you going to give it a go my friends can't wait to try it out.

Yes I am definitely going to give it a go - going to try and get a suitable jar tomorrow! Can't decide on gin or vodka though - leaning towards vodka.

Stupid question now - did you use caster or granulated sugar and does it matter?

I'm absolutely in for this! Sounds great.

yes, I'm in. I've already made a practice batch of Christmas chutney, though.

The recipe I used was granulated sugar and it keeps for years apparently not that my lot will leave any. I like the idea of this recipe as blackberries are easier to pick here than sloes or damsons (10 mins picking along a nice country lane and no pricking of fruit) I'm all about making life easy.

I make blackberry whiskey (and all other fruit liqueurs) exactly the way that Plus3 has posted

Oooh Christmas chutney? Tell me more...
Would love to have the recipe for fudge vodka too. Thanks

For a Christmassy chutney I use a standard apple or tomato chutney recipe and add some dark brown sugar, mixed spice, crushed juniper berries, dried fruit, maybe baby capers, orange and lemon zest and some spirit (armanac this time).

Rookie question. I have a pack of frozen blueberries in the freezer (my latest on line grocery shopping error ). Could I use them to make blueberry vodka? Or does it have to be fresh fruit.
Hoping to be up for at least some of the challenges!

Can I join please? dh does the alky stuff and I try to keep it to the minimumbut I usually think about what to make and freeze for Christmas about this time!

Gerard yes of course, defrost them first, or make a lovely smoothie with them and ground almonds!

Isn't it 'stir up Sunday'? Or round that time maybe October, it's the time that Xmas puddings should be made so they can mature nicely. Or it's Micklemas ! Someone 'll tell us

Ooh, going to go blackberrying later and make the whiskey - sounds fab

Thanks
Whoop - going cheap vodka buying tomorrow then

The best apple chutney recipe IMO

If you are looking for a Christmas chutney recipe, have a look at Mary Berry's. I've been making it since I first saw it in the Good Food magazine almost 12 years ago.

www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1158/mary-berrys-christmas-chutney

I'm not sure what makes it particularly Christmassy, but it is delicious and makes a lovely gift. If you make it now the ingredients are in season and cheaper than they will be in November.

I'd like to make some chocolate covered marzipan sweets this year, anyone got a recipe?

I've only made marzipan once before for a Simnel cake but it was chocolate marzipan so no good.

Chocolate marzipan with a chocolate covering Mrs.Lindor Lovely . There are quite a few recipes for marzipan. Just don't add the cocoa if you don't want it!

Delia's is unnec. fiddly IMO. I liked the look of the chocs. made on the TV 'sweets' programme with choc. ganache covered in choc.YUMMY