Sloe Gin

Making sloe gin is slow but not laborious. There’s no cooking required, just patience, as the sloes must steep in the gin.
 
Ingredients:
450g/1lb sloes
225g/8oz sugar
1 litre/1¾ pint gin
 
Preparation method:
Traditionally, you should prick the skin of the sloes with a silver needle after waiting for the first frost of the year to pick the sloes.  Alternatively, pick them as soon as they are ripe and put them in a bag in the freezer, this will split the skins and soften the fruit.
Pour the sloes and sugar into a sterilised jar or a bottle and add the gin, seal tightly and shake well.
Store in a cool, dark cupboard and shake every other day for a week. Then shake once a week for at least two months, or as long as you can keep your hands off it.
If you are not a gin fan, this recipe works equally well with vodka.