Blackberry cordial

[WeeGarden]

Hi all... sorry, but another dumb question from a complete noob.

I'm trying to make blackberry cordial and have googled all morning to the point of getting myself confused.

I've come across various recipes, some of which have spices, some of which have apple, some lemon, and some of which have alcohol. Ideally, I'd like one that just has sugar, water, and blackberries. My questions are:

If I use apple, will it set like a jelly because of the pectin?
If I don't use alcohol, will it not keep for as long?
For a cordial that just uses water, sugar and berries, how long would it keep for?

Hope all you experienced people out there can help - I have berries waiting!

Thanks in advance!

WG

[smallblueplanet]

Here is the recipe (posted on another thread) we used last year, there is still a bottle in the kitchen cupboard and it looks fine.

We made lovely blackberry cordial by the bottle load - here's the recipe:

Blackberry Cordial

1500g blackberries
cold water, to cover them (about 1lt of water per 1kg of fruit)
1 cinnamon stick
1 tsp lemon juice
400g sugar

Pick over & wash the blackberries. Place in a pan and just cover them with water.
Boil them until they burst (mash them to assist juice extraction). Strain juice off fruit through metal sieve.

Put blackberry juice, sugar, lemon juice and cinnamon stick in pan. Bring to boil and simmer until sugar dissolves, and for about 20 minutes in total.

Cool. Sterilise bottles and decant.
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[mrdinkle]

This sounds like a great recipe to try (if I can find the time and energy to pick more blackberries!). I guess you are looking at about a litre and a hlaf of cordial from this?

[smallblueplanet]

Can't remember mr d, sorry.

[Polly Fouracre]

1 pt. blackberry juice
1lb. sugar or 6tablespoons honey
8 cloves
1 teaspoon cinnamon
8 tablespoons(or more if you like) brandy

Rub raw,ripe blackberries through a fine sieve or the finest blade of a mouli. Measure juice into a saucepan with the sugar or honey and the spices. Bring slowly to the boil,stirring until sugar or honey has completely dissolved.
Then boil gently for five minutes.
When cold, stir in the brandy and bottle in sterilised bottles.
Good as a bed-time drink with hot water or poured over ice-cream or rice pudding.
Taken from "All Good Things Around Us" Pamela Michael.
I have

made this for years and can reccomend it, especially for hyper children at bed-time,one tablespoon to half a mug of hot water!!!
N.B. None of my children have grown up to become drink dependant!!

[WeeGarden]

Thanks for the replies everyone. And Manda, especially for your recipe!

I only had 1.2kg of brambles, so adjusted the recipe slightly.

This made enough cordial to fill 2 wine bottles and a little left over to make up a jug for instant gratification!

THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[smallblueplanet]

Hope it tastes good!

[Dianne1234567]

Manda - I have a question, would it make any difference if I didn't use the cinnamin stick?

[smallblueplanet]

Hi Dianne, can't see why it would matter, I think its just for a bit of 'extra' flavour.

[bobleponge]

Weegarden

Did it taste good? I will have tons of the things waiting for me when I get home, and I dont want to waste them, so it could be cordial..

[smallblueplanet]

@weegarden - c'mon back me up!

Trust me Bob, it tastes good!

[WeeGarden]

Sorry! Yes, it tastes good, although, I'm sure it will taste better if you weren't stupid like I was...

* I had 1.2kg of blackberries, so adjusted the recipe to suit....except when it came to the point of adding sugar, I put in the whole 400g.

* As I was making something else at the time in the oven to take advantage of sterilising oven, I got a bit flustered and forgot to put the cinnamon in.

So erm... it's nice, but it could be nicer if the recipe was followed.

Thanks again, Manda!!!

I think the moral of the story is, never try to do two things that you have never done in the kitchen before, at the same time... bleh.

[bobleponge]

Hmm well I shall be doing one thing at a time that I've never done before, and will no doubt get flustered too.
But will be trying it out when I get home.
Ta