Sloe Gin Pastilles

If you think you might deserve a little boozy treat this Christmas, please read on: Sloe Gin Pastilles (for grown ups only, see below for kiddy version) could be a fun addition to your Christmas feast. They are super easy and super quick to make, just warm your gelatine sheets, stir in the Sloe Gin, leave to set and they are pretty much ready to go.

I tried, unsuccessfully to find a festive mold, so had to make do with these Valentine hearts, but we all need a little love at the moment, don’t we? My mold made 12, about 1/3 filled.

Happy Christmas everyone, I hope you enjoy these grown up sweets.

Ingredients

60ml Sloe Gin

0.25 red colouring, optional

3 sheets gelatine

Icing sugar, optional

Non alcoholic ingredients

50ml Bottle Green cordial

10ml water

0.25ml food colouring of choice, optional

3 sheets gelatine

Icing sugar, optional

Ice cube mold

Method

Put the ice mold onto a small baking sheet, or something similar, such as a small chopping board, with a firm surface that can go into freezer.

Soak the gelatine sheets in cold water for 3 or 4 minutes. Squeeze the sheets out and gently warm them in a small saucepan until they have melted.

Take the melted gelatine off the heat and add the sloe gin (or cordial/juice and water) and colouring, if using. Stir together.

Strain into a small jug to remove any little lumps and carefully pour into your mold to a depth of about 5mm.

Put in the fridge to set.

To serve: carefully unmold and dust with icing sugar if using.

Alternatively, if your need for Sloe Gin is greater, Helen, our neighbour, makes delicious Sloe Gin jellies. I haven't made these myself, but I have eaten them. Very tasty! There are lots of recipes on line.