Hawthorn Berry Juice
Ingredients
- About 4 cups fresh hawthorn berries rinsed well
- Water
- A pinch of salt
Instructions
- Place hawthorn berries in a heavy-bottomed saucepan; add salt.
- Add enough water to create about an inch at the bottom of the pan.
- Heat until water and berries come to a boil; turn heat down and simmer for about 30-40 minutes, until berries have fallen apart. The juice in the pan will be thick and sticky.
- Pour hawthorn berries and their juices into a jelly bag over a bowl to collect juices. If you don't have a jelly bag, line a colander with a thin dish towel or cheesecloth. Use a spatula or wooden spoon to gently press on the berries to help extract the juice. Allow to sit for about half an hour, or until juices stop dripping.
- Remove jelly bag from stand and squeeze several times gently to extract as much remaining juice as possible. If using cheesecloth and a colander, bunch cheesecloth up into a bundle and squeeze.
- Discard berry mash. Put hawthorn juice into a clean jar in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Notes
You should be left with roughly 3/4 cup of hawthorn berry juice, the perfect amount to make a hawthorn curd tart! Alternatively, use the juice to make a simple syrup, jelly, or add it to your favorite frosting recipe. Or use your imagination and come up with your own creative ideas!