Celebrate the end of Summer and create something special to enjoy at Christmas time with Nanna Sparks' recipe for fruit infused gin

It's been a record-breaking Summer this year, with amazing warm weather and I can honestly say I have enjoyed every single moment. I have spent lots of Nanna-time with the little bears, Tilly and Jesse, soaking up every moment while they're still so little! We've been really busy and have had so much fun together, with plenty of days spent out and about and enjoying time at home together too.

I've also taken the chance to explore new parts of the beautiful South West with my husband Jon. We've discovered some beautiful places we didn't even know existed and created new memories in places we will return to again and again in the future. You can see more of my Summer adventures on my Instagram profile.

Now that Summer is almost over, the children are going back to school and we're already thinking ahead to Autumn and the end of the year. That said, I've been savouring those last moments of Summer sun in the garden and it's been clear to see the wonderful weather of the past few months has delivered a bounty of fruits on the trees and plants. So to carry a little of that summer feeling through to the months to come, I decided to collect some of the fruits and use them to make fruit-infused gin. My harvest included damsons, blackberries and raspberries and after a quick run to the supermarket for some basic ingredients I was ready to begin. The recipe is so simple and easy to follow and whether you pick your own fruit or pick it up at the shop, it's a wonderful way to spend a small amount of time now, to enjoy many times later in the year.

Ingredients:

70cl Gin or Vodka

300g of damsons or a generous handful or two of blackberries or raspberries

200g Sugar

For each batch, you will also need Kilner Jars. Make sure they are sterile before use, which you can do one of 2 ways. Either 1) Wash thoroughly in hot soapy water, rinse and drain, then place on oven racks, with space between them and heat at 120C for 10-15 minutes. Or 2) you can put the jars in a large pot of boiling water for 10 minutes then drain upside down on a clean tea towel and dry in the oven.

Method:

Wash the dry the fruit

Gently prick the skins of the fruits a couple of times with a toothpick and place them inside the jar

Add the sugar to the jar and pour in the gin

Seal the jar and shake a little

Store the jar at room temperature, away from direct sunlight and shake a little, every day

Keep sealed for 2-3 months and when you're ready to serve, thoroughly strain the liquid to remove any bits and decant into a fresh, sterile bottle.

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