Make a bottle of homemade plum brandy. It’s a great way to use up a glut of plums, plus it’ll keep for two months and will make a welcome gift for brandy lovers
Prep:15 mins
Makes approx. 1 x 750ml bottle
350g plums, halved and destoned175g white caster sugar700ml brandy½ cinnamon stick1 star anise
STEP 1Make sure the plum halves are clean and dry, then put them in a large sterilised glass jar. Add the sugar, brandy, cinnamon stick and star anise. Seal and gently rotate the jar to help dissolve the sugar.STEP 2Continue to gently shake or rotate the jar (trying not to bash the fruit too much) every day for a week.STEP 3Once the sugar has dissolved, leave it in a cool dark cupboard for another 2 weeks to infuse.STEP 4Strain the mixture through a sieve lined with muslin, kitchen paper or coffee filter paper. Discard the plums, any fruit pulp and the spices, and pour the strained brandy into a bottle. Will keep for two months.
