We all want to feel the love of summer fruit year around, and the first way to save on the goodbyes is to fill your freezer with the stuff. “Knowing you’ve got a stash of sunshine makes a big difference, especially during the winter dearth,” says Anna Higham, baker and owner of Quince Bakery in north London. Even now, she is focused on getting as many redcurrants in the freezer as possible, ready for jam. “Adding redcurrants to any softer fruit that doesn’t have acidity or pectin really helps with the set,” she explains – winter rhubarb being one particularly good example. “Honestly, being able to make a few jars of jam in winter from your summer fruit store makes your kitchen smell of hope.”
Of course, you’ll want other fruits by your side, too. Sarah Johnson, author of Fruitful, freezes raspberries and blackberries whole (to fold through muffins, toss into crumbles or to add to pear and brown butter tarts), and tops and tails the likes of gooseberries. “I know that freezer space can be hard to come by, but do freeze them in a single layer on a tray first, then move the frozen fruit into bags or plastic boxes,” she says, because that way it will keep its integrity. “Plums and apricots also freeze well,” she adds, “but it’s best to puree them first; plums make a delicious sauce for steamed ginger pudding, say, or spooned warm over vanilla ice-cream.”
Higham is also big on bottling, whether that’s peaches, blackcurrants or apricots. The River Cottage Preserves book is an excellent guide, she says, and the basic idea is to pack whole fruit tightly into sterilised jars, then make a heavy syrup to pour on top. How heavy that syrup should be (that is, how high the sugar to water ratio is) will depend on the size and type of fruit. “A peach, for example, needs quite a heavy syrup, because it has to penetrate all the way through a large fruit, whereas blackcurrants, being small, need a lighter syrup.” You can also play around with the syrup’s flavour – Higham often adds vanilla or, if cherries are involved, star anise or black pepper. “Pour the hot syrup over the fruit, fill right to the brim, then seal and put in a water bath.”
Fruit odds and ends such as strawberry tops, meanwhile, can be turned into easy cordials (whole fruits obviously work here, too). “Steep whatever you’ve got – 200-300g fruit per litre of water as a minimum – let that simmer away, then leave to infuse overnight.” The next day, drain, add 20% of the fruit’s weight in sugar and bring back to a boil; if it needs a bit of acid, add a splash of vinegar or lemon juice: “Pour that into hot, sterilised bottles, seal and put in a water bath. Bring to a boil, turn off the heat and leave to cool.”
Even if you don’t have enough peaches, apricots or cherries to make cordial or jam, never fear. Higham recommends chopping up any bits and bobs, putting them in a jar with a little sugar and a good slosh of brandy. Pop on the lid and leave somewhere dark so everything gets to know each other, giving the jar a shake every now and then. “Now that will be delicious by the time winter comes.”
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