How to make sloe gin

Sloes are members of the plum family and grow from October through to November - they are delicious infused in gin, creating a sweet, fruity drink with a bitter edge. Make it now and drink it or give it as a gift at Christmas.

• 200g sloes
• 400ml gin
• 100g granulated sugar

Prick the sloes’ skins. You can do this by piercing each one individually, or just pop them in the freezer for a couple of days.

Push the pierced sloes (frozen or not) into a screw-top bottle (wide-necked is easier, but the bottle you’ve taken the gin from may be handier). Pour in the sugar and add the gin.
Seal tightly, shake to combine and store in a cool, dark place.

Give the bottle a shake every day until all the sugar has dissolved. It’s ready to drink in about three weeks, but the sloe flavour becomes more pronounced the longer you leave it.