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.

If you use those tops then do what you normally do. I find that recycling the jars and tops works fine as long as they're "sterilised" by the boiling water.

Ooh lovely ,raspberry is my fave jam and with this recipe you can use it like a coulis!

I do sometimes add fructose if the jam takes time to set.

My blackberry Whisky has ended up being fruits of the forest (frozen mix) brandy. Close enough?

Ref. quinces Tryingnotto They're amazing I love them. You can just pick them and keep in a bowl they have a lovely perfume.

I made quince marmalade last year. the recipe 's from Elizabeth David it was gorgeous. Soo easy, you just boil the whole fruit in water (wipe off the fuzz first) Simmer until soft but not falling apart. Take out the fruit keeping the water in the pan. Peel and core and put them back in the saucepan and boil until its reduced by 1\3. Then remove and sieve. put back all the fruit with it's weight in sugar (i cooked it fruit juice so I just added some fructose) and simmer till it goes a reddish colour. and it sets nicely.

I made frozen fruits of these forest vodka last year, it was AWESOME. It went really syrupy and delicious. Was far superior to the hand foraged blackberry gin we made at the same time.

The real winner was stem ginger brandy though - peel and chop quite a lot of ginger, boil it for a while in not much water and a bit of sugar then mix the whole lot liquid and all in with a bottle of brandy and let steep for as long as possible. It was so peppery and intense. We've made it all year this year!

Will try that ppeatfruit. Normally I do just leave them in a bowl fir the fragrance, but I love quince jelly. Thanks.

Waiting Do you have a list of the twelve projects you planned? Would be useful to plan out when I'll do them or find suitable recipes for each one.

I've ordered three large jars and a load of sugar with my online shopping to make my alcoholic treats! They should arrive tomorrow and I've been promised a load of blackberries and I have plans to pick some sloes by the end of the week, so I now need to go and buy some cheap gin and vodka and I'll be all set!

Want to get my Christmas cake made before the end of the month if at all possible, because I am going away for two weeks in October.

I've got a load of frozen blueberries too, so I think I may make some jam with those, unless anyone has any better ideas?

A Home Bargains has just opened up near me and they had 1ltr Kilner bottles for £1 (proper Kilner too!) have stocked up in anticipation of all the lovely lovely alcoholic Christmas treats I'll be making.

Day off tomorrow , and I'm going shopping for some poncetastic killer jars
getting my car serviced , hair cut , meeting a friend for lunch and buying some bits for DS to take to Uni
Planning on blackberry gin , maybe raspberry vodka for my spirits
Chili jelly
Christmas chutney
Mincemeat
Christmas morning jam ( I'm thinking apricot with gold glitter in it )
Christmas cake
Fudge
That's seven , so I need a few more
Will also be planting up some of those scented indoor narcissus , and making a door hanging wreath

Need some more ideas... I fancy making some fruit in liquer to have as a pud ..... Off to google a bit more

Stumbled across some damsons this afternoon while making a start on walking off the baby belly so that's damson gin getting made tomorrow. Would like to try and make some chutney or jams next never tried either before. Going to shop for some cheap jars or bottles in our home bargains tomorrow morning.

Homemade pickled onions/shallots are yum. Great for Boxing Day along with caramalised red onion chutney (Guardian recipe) or as gifts.

Sounds interesting off to google recipe now coldcottage

I made limoncello last year so I'm lurking here to steal some more ideas

I've got to think of making onion chutney without any type of vinegar (because it gives me pains in my hands). I'll make a spinach and onion tart , i've got a load of lovely onions that I want to use now.

Just marking my place and watching with interest. Am planning to make chilli jam and Christmas chutney at the weekend. Also, I have a damson tree in my garden so was thinking of trying damson gin. Will the damons be ready now?

I have a query.... And it's possibly not going to be popular

is there anything that is truly worth making?! I find that I spend hours of foraging and shaking and mixing and stirring and hundreds of pounds on ingredients or twine or other rubbish necessary pouncing items. And thn I assemble and make and decorate, then I see something much better in tk maxx for a fiver help me find worthwhile ponces because I SO want to!

Ok, been thinking about my 12 challenges.
1: Christmas cake (started)
2: chilli jam (made but FAR TOO HOT so need to make another batch)
3-8: fruity liqueurs (done!! Just need to decant, already have the nice bottles)
9: something apple-ey (chutney? Any ideas gratefully received)
10: home made hot chocolate (possible Jamie Oliver epic hot chocolate or very similar)
11: mincemeat something (my husband loves shop bought mince pies but i have 3 jars of hm mincemeat in the cupboard so need to do SOMETHING with it)
12: Christmas pudding

As spares I also want to make a few flavours of ice cream, some fudge, fudge flavour vodka, shortbread and other sweeties... But let's see how I get on!!

TheImprobable If you use the best ingredients and recipes ( I love Delia's Christmas book) it's going to better than ANY shop bought stuff esp. something like mincemeat. Also you can use what YOU like rather than having to eat what you don't IFYSWIM. ( I have health issues so am very fussy with what I eat, as I said about the vinegar; there's hardly anything without it in , in the shops).

Fevertree You can make Xmas pudding AND cake with mincemeat. I used to every year . We're all on diets, so I don't make traditional cake now but the pudding is lovely.

mumof tree fruit like damsons need to be a bit unripe to set properly in jam or chutney.

Thanks fruit, I was thinking of Adamson gin though so not sure when optimum time for picking might be :)

oooh, I have never made Christmas pudding before so didn't realise it was made with mincemeat. Excellent! Thanks. I will stick some brandy or rum in when I get home to 'refresh' it a bit.

Made this Salted Caramel recipe today and thought of you lovely lot. Not sure if it will keep if made too far in advance, it says on the recipe it keeps for two weeks in the fridge, but it's delicious and if I got a jar as a gift, I would be very happy. Easy and pretty cheap to make.

It's a short cut Fever I used to soak fruit in booze for mincemeat and I thought why not use it for the puddings and cake too! It makes them much nicer!There are some good recipes.

Any other ideas for raspberries other than alcohol or jam?