Festive Gin with Blackberries, Cinnamon and Bay

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Flavoured with blackberries, cinnamon, bay leaves, cloves, allspice, and lightly sweetened, this gorgeous gin is quick and easy to make, delicious to drink in a range of different ways and makes an ideal festive gift. Beautiful to look at, adding a luscious dark pink to your drinks, it works wonderfully in a gin and tonic, is ideal when making a Bramble cocktail, is scrumptious with champagne, Prosecco or Cava, and you can even serve it as is, over ice.

Gifting Festive Gin with Blackberries, Cinnamon and Bay

If you are making Festive Gin with Blackberries, Cinnamon and Bay and gifting some, print out the recipe at the bottom fo page and include it with the gift. This explains how the gin is made (in case they want to make more) and also gives a few ideas how to use it.

Whip up a batch for yourself and friends and use your imagination. Whatever happens this Christmas, lockdown or no lockdown, at least you’ll have some wonderful drinks to add some festive fizz to your celebrations.

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You do not need to buy expensive gin, I use a very basic supermarket option, and it can be presented in either the bottle you bought it in, (I remove the label) or pour into smaller 500ml bottles and eek it out and create more gifts. Be warned though, the addition of sugar makes it very, very easy to drink!

Do not throw the fruit away!

The gin needs to sit in a dark cupboard with all the other ingredients so the flavours can be develop. When you strain it, do not throw the fruit away, you can:

• cook it up and use it in a crumble or pie
• make a small batch of jam.
• alternatively cook up the fruit, freeze it and use it over the festive season.
• finally freeze the fruit and use them frozen in your Festive gin drinks instead of, or as well as, ice. Lay them spread out on a baking tray lined with baking parchment and pop them in the freezer. When they are solid they can be transferred to a freezer bag or container.

See here for a crumble recipe. Two for the price of one!

If you can’t get hold of blackberries, use raspberries!

Blackberries are still available in the shops, although there are not many left on the hedgerows around here now. You can make this with fresh or frozen blackberries, and if these are not available, use raspberries.

How to make Festive Gin with Blackberries, Cinnamon and Bay

Collect all your ingredients together:

• caster sugar
• gin (or you can use vodka if you prefer)
• blackberries
• bay leaves
• stick of cinnamon
• small cloves
• allspice berries

Mix everything together and let it steep:

1. Weigh the sugar into a large glass jar with lid. I use 1.8 litre size for 1 litre of gin.
2. Shake the jar well and then add the remaining ingredients.
3. Muddle – I use a rolling pin to gently press the blackberries and spices and help release their flavours.
4. Set aside in a cool dark place for 1 – 3 weeks, shaking from time to time.
5. When you are ready to bottle the drinks, strain through a sieve, and let it sit for 30 minutes to drain properly.
6. Line a second sieve with muslin or a very fine cloth and strain the blackberry gin again to make sure it is beautifully clear.
7. Use a funnel to strain into sterilised bottles. (For information on sterilising bottles, please see Recipe Notes below.) Your gin is now ready.
8. Seal and store in a darkened area for up to 3 months. Once opened it is best stored in the fridge.
9. Do not throw the strained fruit away – it can be used to make a wonderful festive crumble or pie or even a small batch of blackberry jam. See here for a crumble idea.
10. To serve –
    • it works wonderfully in a gin and tonic,
    • is ideal when making a Bramble cocktail, and
    • is scrumptious with champagne, Prosecco or Cava.
    • you can even serve it as is, over ice.

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Made this recipe?

If you make this recipe, do please tag me on instagram @daffodil_kitchen. You could also leave a comment in the box directly below the recipe.