With Pick Your Own in full swing on the farm, we love having an abundance of freshly picked gooseberries on our doorstep. These little green gems are such an underrated fruit, with lots of people lacking the enthusiasm and know-how of what to use them for! Well here is a tasty little recipe, perfect for spreading on toast or using in a Summer cake… This recipe is taken from Delia Smith’s ‘Summer Collection’ and can also be found displayed on our seasonal cart in the farm shop.

For this recipe you will need:

• 900g gooseberries
• 900g granulated sugar
• 150ml water
• 4 tablespoons of elderflower cordial (we use Belvoir)
• a trace of butter

All of which can be found in the farm shop (or picked fresh from the farm’s fields!)

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Method:

1. Smear a large, heavy saucepan with butter to prevent the preserve sticking.
2. Top and tail the gooseberries into the pan and add the water. Bring to simmering point and simmer gently until the fruit is tender – this will take around 15 minutes.
3. Add the sugar and stir well. Keeping the heat low, wait for the sugar to dissolve completely (should take about 15 minutes).
4. Turn the heat up very high and let the preserve boil for 8 minutes. Take it off the heat to test for a set (on a chilled tea plate).
5. If it is not set, boil for 5 more minutes and repeat.
6. When set, stir in the elderflower cordial and allow it to settle for 15 minutes before pouring it into warmed sterilised jars.
7. Seal with waxed discs, put the lids on and label when cold.