Wild and Wicked after Dinner Treats

I did promise a recipe with what to do with sloes that had been steeping in gin or wild cherries, damsons or hazlenuts and almonds.   I hate wasting ingredients and this to me is a sound way of using up something that would possibly end up in the bin. Alternatively the fruits from such spirited drinks could be flambe and then served on top of ice cream.

The recipe comes from the Foragers kitchen by Fiona Bird.  ISBN 978-1-78249-404-1 which is a fantastic book and one that I have come across as it will set me up for next year.  There are some lovely recipes in this book.  Different ones.  The book very much deserves book shelf space.  I am pleased I have it.

"This is a really wild I love food and hate waste  idea using alcohol soaked berried from grins, vodka and brandy - sheer indulgence" 

Ingredients:

3 1/2 oz/100g of bittersweet dark chocolate (minimum 70% cocoa solids).

1/2 a stick/50g salter butter

3/4 cup/100g blanched almonds

Pinch of dried red pepper flakes (crushed chillies)

3 1/2 tablespoons/25g sifted confectioners sugar/icing sugar

Generous 1/2 a cup/50g brandy-soaked wild cherries, pitted/stoned

Method

Put the chocolate and butter into a bowl that will fit snugly over a pan of simmering water and stir until the mixture has melted. Remove from the heat.

Finely chop the almonds in a food processor and then add the pepper flakes (chillies) and confectioners'/icing sugar and blitz again.

Roughly chop the cherries.

Fold the almond mixture and cherries into the chocolate and cool until the mixture is slow to return to the centre of the bowl when moved to the edge with a spoon.

Spoon half of the mixture into the centre of a piece of parchment paper and carefully use the paper to  shape it into a roll about 6 inches/15 cm long.  Fold the paper ends underneath and put it on a baking sheet.  Repeat with second sheet of parchment paper and the remaining mixture.  Put the baking sheet in the refrigerator and leave to set for about 1 1/2 hours.  (alternatively role the mixture into small balls).

Cut into 3/8 of an inch/1cm slices and serve after dinner as a delicious treat.

 I have both sloes and cherries to do this.  I like it when a plan comes together.

Catch you soon.

Pattypanxxx