Rosehip and ginger cordial

Ingredients:

■ 1 kg rosehips

■ 500g granulated sugar

■ 1.5 litres water

■ 2 inch piece of ginger, grated

Method:

■ Wash and top and tail the rosehips. Place them in a freezer bag and freeze overnight. This makes them sweeter and softer. Let them defrost before processing.

■ Place into a food processor and blend until you get a nice pulp. Put into a stainless steel pot with 1.5 litres of water. Bring to the boil and then let it simmer for 20-25 minutes. Strain through two layers of muslin. This can take a while, so it’s best to let it strain through the cloth overnight. The strained liquid should not be cloudy; if it is, then strain again.

■ Measure how much liquid has been strained – then, for every 100ml of liquid you will need at least 60g of granulated sugar.

■ Place the liquid, sugar and grated ginger into a stainless steel pot and gently heat for about 10-15 minutes, skimming off any impurities from the top of the pot. Strain through a sieve into sterile bottles. Close the lid and cool it.

■ This cordial can be mixed with sparkling or still water to make a refreshing drink or added to cocktails. It can also be drizzled over ice cream and used in so many ways.