Hawthorn leather revisited

[swright81076]

Following this year of strange weather, late spring, heavy rain and heatwaves, the fruits around here are huge, plump and juicy.
So after foraging various nuts and fruits today, I collected a couple pounds of haws.

I've been munching on them for days as they are far juicier and plumper than previous years.

This time around, I didn't need to add any water to the mulch, I simply used my hands and a piece of muslin to strain the gloop through.

The goo is drying out at the moment, but this time it'll be dried fully. Last year's attempt resulted in semi dried leather which quickly went mouldy.

Looks about as appetising as a Jews ear.

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[British Red]

I'll follow this with interest.

I have frankly never found a single thing worth doing with haws

 

[Erro Telcontar]

I've just made a batch of hawthorn leather as of yesterday for the first time, very pleased with the results! you can definalty imagine our ancietors preserving vitamins in this way for the winter. I'll maybe try again with a modern twist and add ornage zest and juice

 

[swright81076]

I'll follow this with interest.

I have frankly never found a single thing worth doing with haws

I'll leave it drying in the oven overnight and update tomorrow.

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[British Red]

Look forward to it!

I've tried leather and wine and allsorts. None taste great to be honest

 

[swright81076]

Look forward to it!

I've tried leather and wine and allsorts. None taste great to be honest

This year the haws in my local woods have been more like cherries, not at all bitter afterwards. If this batch doesn't work, then nothing will.

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[British Red]

Love to hear of success chap - I just leave all mine for the birds now, so a useful recipe would be great!!

 

[swright81076]

OK. The leather is done. The top surface is very dark, the bottom is ever so slightly lighter. It looks terrible.

After a couple of hours in the oven

This morning after spending about 12 hours at 50°c in the oven it had shrunk down into several different pieces.

It feels like malleable plastic, it will roll without breaking, and is slightly spongy.

I would call it a success. The initial taste isn't unpleasant at all, there is a slight sweetness to it, but there is a very fresh pleasant aftertaste to it. Rather like young hawthorn leaves in spring.

Don't be fooled into thinking this will satisfy a sweet tooth. It won't, but I would happily eat this as a snack.

This is definitely something I will make again, but only because I'm lucky enough to live in a property with 50 PV panels on our roof giving us almost free electricity, I would dread to think how much this venture would have cost in electricity having the oven on for over 12 hours.

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[British Red]

Interesting....

 

[ozzy1977]

Could it have been sweetened with a bit a sugar in the gloop before drying?

 

[Chiseller]

Slow cooker ? Small ground oven under a weekend camp fire ?
Well done for sticking at it :thumbup:

eggs shouldn't dance with stones.....

 

[Emdiesse]

Brilliant! I had some Haw Flakes the other day and was wondering if I could make them!

 

[Elen Sentier]

I use haws and make jelly from them which we like very much - all depends on taste I suppose. Our haws are very good this year too. Can't afford the 'lectric to do the leather though . Am about to go hunt up some sloes to go in the freezer before the local human gannets strip the bushes !!!

 

[swright81076]

If I make this again I'll use sugar to sweeten, maybe add a few apples and blackberries too, and cook them down first. I wanted to have the haw flavour using semi traditional methods.

A ground oven would work as long as we could have the temperature right, worth giving it a go for sure.

Good luck with the sloes Ellen

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[mountainm]

I think a lightbulb in an insulated box would do the trick.

 

[Goatboy]

This is definitely something I will make again, but only because I'm lucky enough to live in a property with 50 PV panels on our roof giving us almost free electricity, I would dread to think how much this venture would have cost in electricity having the oven on for over 12 hours.

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Around 12 to 16p an hour, so about £1.44 to £1.92.

 

[Chiseller]

Just tasted this.....it's improved since he first tasted it.....like a proper fruit gum . Highly recommended:thumbup:

eggs shouldn't dance with stones.....

 

[swright81076]

Just tasted this.....it's improved since he first tasted it.....like a proper fruit gum . Highly recommended:thumbup:

eggs shouldn't dance with stones.....

Definitely improved after little time. Very sweet now, I'll keep it in the cupboard and try it in a few weeks. It's definitely something I will be making again now.

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[swright81076]

Sloes in the freeze Chiseller, an excuse to buy a bottle of gin tomorrow. :thumbup:

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[Chiseller]

Sloes in the freeze Chiseller, an excuse to buy a bottle of gin tomorrow. :thumbup:

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Goody gum drops

eggs shouldn't dance with stones.....