Gooseberry, Elderflower and Sauvignon Blanc Sorbet!

Last year I was given a gooseberry bush, the first one I've ever owned and a welcome addition to my little self - sufficient patch of green.  I put it in a big pot to start with so it could settle into it's surroundings happily, without too many weedy invaders.  I got so many gooseberries from it once it had flowered I could have fed a small fruitarian army!  I used some last year but decided to freeze the rest for a tasty treat later in the year.

Well, 2015 has come around already and I decided it was a good time to detox my freezer.  I find this is something good to do every January, which involves making yummy things from all the previous years pickings.  The idea is to free up room which helps my annual de-cluttering of my little nest and to bring in the new year as I mean to go on - with many, many tasty treats!

Step 1 Put 300ml of sparkling Sauvignon Blanc, I used Oyster Bay and 250g of white caster sugar into a saucepan and heat until the sugar has dissolved to create the syrup base.

Step 2 Make sure your gooseberries are topped and tailed (this just means slicing off the stalk and the bit where the flower was).  Add 900g of gooseberries (if you're using frozen like I was make sure they are defrosted first) and 5 tbsp of elderflower cordial to the syrup in your saucepan.  Any elderflower cordial will do, you don't have to use the super expensive stuff, personally I really like the Belvoir range for this recipe.  Allow the mixture to simmer until the berries are squishy and start bursting open, about 5 - 6 minutes.

Step 3 Pour your mixture into a blender or food processor, again anything is good so long as you can mash up the mixture.  Even a handheld blender is good for this, or if you don't have anything a potato masher and a fork will do the job, you'll just need a bit longer.  You can sieve your mixture afterwards to get the pips out if you want, personally I like the crunch, but it depends on your teeth!

Step 4 Pour the mixture into a plastic container, I use an old ice cream tub, and leave to cool.  Place in the freezer and remove to stir the mixture every two to three hours.  By the next day it's good to eat and will be a yummy treat!

I find this recipe a great one for when folks are coming over, it never fails to impress and tastes really unique and scrumptious!

Enjoy and let me know how you get on xxx