A creamy, floral celebration of wild summer ingredients — no oven required.

This cheesecake is bursting with Bilberries and delicately scented with Meadowsweet, a hedgerow flower known for its sweet, almond-vanilla aroma. It’s perfect for a summer gathering, whether you’re indoors or eating with muddy boots on a tree stump.

Vegan-friendly options included below.

Ingredients:

Base:

• 200g oat or digestive biscuits
  
• 80g unsalted butter, melted
  
• Pinch of salt
  

Vegan option: Use vegan biscuits (e.g. Hobnobs) and plant-based butter

Filling:

• 300ml double cream
  
• 3–4 Meadowsweet flower heads (or 1 tsp dried)
  
• 300g full-fat cream cheese
  
• 100g icing sugar
  
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
  
• Zest of 1 lemon

Vegan option: Use a plant-based whipping cream (like Elmlea Plant or Oatly Whippable) and vegan cream cheese (such as Violife or Nush)

Topping:

• 200g fresh Bilberries (or frozen)
  
• 2 tbsp caster sugar
  
• Juice of ½ lemon
  
• 1 tsp cornflour mixed with 1 tbsp water (optional, for thickening)

Click here for our Bilberry foraging guide

Click here for our Meadowsweet foraging guide

Method:

•  Heat the cream gently in a pan until just steaming — do not boil. Add the Meadowsweet flowers, stir, cover, and steep for 30 minutes. Strain and chill until completely cold
  
• Crush the biscuits into crumbs, mix with melted butter and a pinch of salt. Press into the base of a lined 20cm tin and chill for 20–30 minutes
  
• Beat the cream cheese, icing sugar, vanilla, and lemon zest until smooth. Whip the chilled infused cream to soft peaks, then fold gently into the cream cheese mixture. Spoon onto the chilled base and smooth the top. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours (or overnight) until set.
  
• Place bilberries, sugar, and lemon juice in a small pan and cook gently until the berries release their juices. Simmer for 5–8 minutes. Add cornflour mixture if you’d like it thicker. Let it cool completely before spooning over the set cheesecake.

To Serve

Garnish with extra fresh Bilberries or dried Meadowsweet petals if you have them. Serve cold — ideally outdoors!

For more amazing Bilberry recipes click here.

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The country side of the UK is abundant wild roses, 13 native and 9 introduced  according to BSBI, many of them hybridising and with very similar appearance. Two of the most common are:

Dog rose Rosa Canina add link to id guide

Japanese rose Rosa Rugosa add link to id guide

If you haven’t already check out our ID guides linked above

They have been used for centuries for their beauty, wonderful flavours and array of fantastic medicinal properties.

The great thing about wild roses is they are all edible and can be used for recipes interchangeably, so as long as you are 100% certain you have a wild rose species- first part of the botanical name beginning with “Rosa” it doesn’t matter which one edibility wise. You can even use garden varieties. The harvesting, prep and recipes you can make with them are all the same.

Harvest Time and Techniques

Flowers- from late spring to early summer so about May- June. The petals are the only part needed so if you carefully pull just the petals the rest of the flower will remain to go on to produce a rose hip. They will keep well for a few days in a cool place for long term storage they also dry well.

Rose hips- Autumn, the season is quite long for rose hips, they can be seen even in late summer and last on the shrubs well into January,  but simply once the hips turn red they are ripe and ready to use. The traditional time to collect rose hips is just after the first frost as the freezing breaks the cells within making them softer and sweeter. This is called bletting, but we now have the modern technology of freezers so can start earlier if we wish. 

When collecting your rose hips it will be useful to take a pair of gloves to protect from the thorns also some secateurs as it’s only when they are really soft do they come away from the stem easily.

Edible parts and uses

 Leaves

When very young in spring they can be added to salads and stir fries. Different species have varying levels of spines and thorns, so have a little check first but generally they are very smooth at this age, like pictured above. Dog rose Rosa Canina is my favourite for this. 

Rose petals 

Floral and perfumed with a light sweetness

Decoration

Can be used for their beauty and light sweetness for decoration on desserts and in salads or any food that they will compliment. Rose petals are well known for flavouring Turkish delight.

Infusion

Rose petals work excellent as an infusion into many different vinegars, syrups or alcohols and jellies so have an experiment! The flavours are water soluble so take little time to infuse. They will tint your recipe similar of the petals them selves, if you want a striking pink you can use Japanese rose Rosa rugosa or other strongly coloured roses from your garden.

This is a two part goodie! Because with these recipes you get two products-

• A Rose infused condiment, alcohol or syrup.
• Petals that have been pickled, or syrup and alcohol soaked which are delicious. 

Simple recipe for Rose flower vinegar

Melt together with heat on the hop 400ml of your choice of vinegar and 2 heaped tablespoons of brown sugar ( or an amount to your taste) Once cooled, pour into a clean jar that has been stuffed full of rose petals. Fill almost to the top, as vinegar can degrade most jar lids. Leave for 5 days then decant the vinegar into a suitable bottle and keep the rose petals in a jar in the fridge ready to use on dessert, salads or especially with Turkish and moroccan like dishes.  

Jams and desserts

The petals work great in jam or sweet pickles also for sorbet, ice cream and jelly. Another way to use them is to incorporate them in no-bake slices like tiffin. 

Tea 

Petals can be dried and made into blends of loose leaf tea.

Other Rose recipes

Rose hips

A unique flavour of a sweet tangy tomato/strawberry.

There’s a little way you can get a taste of Rose hips before collecting 100’s of them. Once they are soft ( pull off the shrub easily) there will be a little hole where it was just attached to the stem. Give the hip a very gentle and even squeeze so the pulp oozes out like toothpaste from the hole, and try! if the seeds also push out you’ve pushed too hard and if lots of juice comes out its fermenting, in both cases toss it and get another.

Rose hip syrup

This is honestly just lovely, It is simply Rose hip pulp and sugar. There are a few ways you can make this depending on if you want to do less work and how quickly you want result. For all methods it’s best to have your rose hips already soft either by collecting after the frost or having stuck them in and out the freezing a couple of times.

The reason to have them soft first is so they are sweeter, need minimal processing which preserves more vitamin C and to get the more of the delicious pulp.

For method one 1 and 2 first you need the pulp…..

Place your whole washed soft rose hips into a pan. If a few have bits of stalk on it’s no problem. Add enough water to cover and simmer on a medium heat until they are soft enough to mash into a pulp.  

Now you sieve the pulp, theres two different ways depending if you want a thicker puree or a flavoured liquid/jelly- but the most important thing is you use a cheesecloth or jelly bag, it has to be a tightly woven mesh to stop the irritating little hairs inside coming through so a regular metal sieve or will not do.

Method 1- Best for puree, pickle, sauces, jam, thicker syrup.

Roll up your sleeves and with your cheesecloth squeeze the pulp through the mesh, it takes a little work but worth it for the rich thick result.

I usually do a double squeeze. Once I can’t get any more puree through, I put it back in the pan and add more water and squeeze through again or go to method 2. It’s amazing how much more you get, the second lot is thinner but still great for syrups!

Method 2- Best for cordial, drinks, jellies and a thinner syrup.

You may want to water down your pulp a little more first then leave it hanging in a jelly bag overnight this will result in a translucent flavoured liquid.

Now you just need to add sugar, Demerara is considered the tastiest by most people but any is fine. You can add an amount of sugar to your personal taste but if it’s under 50- 60% sugar it will have a shorter shelf life as it wont naturally preserve, you will need to refrigerate, freeze or use jam/pickling heat methods for longer storage. 

Method 3

With your cleaned and dried soft rose hips, get a clean jar and layer 50-50 of rose hips and sugar ( demerara is best)  in a lasagna like way, then pop the lid on and leave in a temperate place out of the sun, in 1-3 months a syrup will have formed all by itself. Because sugar is hydrophilic ( loves moisture) it draws the juices from the rose hips out and forms a syrup. It’s ready once all the sugar has liquified, though I often leave it an extra couple of weeks after to make sure all the flavour is infused. Before serving if any of the rose hips are broken you will need to sieve the syrup through a cheesecloth or jelly bag to make sure the seeds and hairs are left behind.

Extra tips…

If you’re worried some hairs have made it through into your syrup, leave it standing overnight and they mostly float to the top so you can just scoop them out.

It is possible to put them through a low power food processor briefly before heating to help break them up. I’ve done this and still successfully sieved the hairs and seeds out. But it must be a light chop up not liquefying something like a Nutribullet is way too powerful. 

Medicinal Uses and nutrition

Rose petals

Drinking Rose petal tea is an important part of Traditional Chinese medicine.

It’s a good source of vitamin A,C and E, also iron and calcium while containing zero fat, sugar, calories or protein.  

The petals have mood stabilising and lifting properties. The smell of roses also promotes a calming and stress relieving effect. 

The vitamins and antioxidants in Rose petals support skin health giving them them the strong association with beauty, many skin care products contain rose.

Rose hips 

Most well known and praised for their incredible anti inflammatory properties and high Vitamin C content which is 8-20 times that of oranges with 426mg in 100g of rose hips. 

Rose hips are also high in folate and contains vitamins A, B3, D and E along with flavonoids, carotenoids, betasitosterol, fructose, malic acid, tannins, magnesium, zinc, copper and numerous other phytochemicals.

Heart health

Consuming rose hips may boost heart health by lowering cholesterol and blood pressure.  In a 6-week study in 31 people, drinking a rosehip beverage containing 40 grams of rosehip powder daily led to significant reductions in blood pressure, total cholesterol, and LDL (bad) cholesterol, compared with the control group.

Benefits for arthritis

Rose hips have been well studied for their effects on osteoarthritis pain. A recent review of 24 studies found that supplementing with rose hips may help relieve osteoarthritis symptoms by combating oxidative stress and inflammation in your joints. Additionally, a review of three studies noted that people taking rosehip powder were twice as likely to report improvements in osteoarthritis pain. Finally, a recent review observed that rose hips reduced pain and stiffness in those with osteoarthritis.

Skin 

Rose hip oil is now a popular anti-aging substance in the beauty industry, it’s made by cold pressing rose hips and extracting their natural oils. The seeds are high in polyunsaturated fats, which supports healthy skin and protects it from damaging compounds, such as ultraviolet (UV) rays, cigarette smoke, and pollution.

In one small, 8-week study, taking 3 mg of Rose hip powder daily led to a significant decrease in skin wrinkles and significant increase in skin moisture content and elasticity.

Researchers attributed these results to rose hips’ robust antioxidant, vitamin C, and fatty acid profile, which all protect and replenish your skin barrier.

Rose hip oil may also aid wound healing. In a recent study, rats treated with this oil had significantly faster wound healing and less scar development than the control group. 

Sources

https://www.webmd.com/diet/rose-tea-good-for-you

www.eatweeds.com

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These Elderflower ice lollies are summer on a stick—light, floral, and almost too easy to make. They’re the kind of thing that makes you feel like a forager even if all you did was wander into the kitchen. Elderflower cordial does all the heavy lifting, paired with zingy lemon and crisp apple juice. Perfect for hot days, lazy afternoons, or just because you want to eat something pretty straight from the freezer.

Ingredients for our  Elderflower Ice Lollies

 (Makes approx. 6 lollies)

• 200ml Elderflower cordial
  
• 300ml apple juice (cloudy works best)
  
• Juice of ½ a lemon
• a few edible flowers or mint leaves for a fancy touch (Optional)

Click here for our Elderflower cordial recipe

Method to make our  Elderflower Ice Lollies

1. In a jug, combine the Elderflower cordial, apple juice, and lemon juice. Give it a good stir.
2. If you’re feeling extra, pop a few edible flowers or mint leaves into each lolly mould for a bit of wild flair.
3. Pour the mixture into ice lolly moulds and add sticks. Freeze for at least 4–6 hours, or until completely solid.
4. To release, dip the mould briefly in warm water. Then just pop out, sit back, and enjoy your homemade taste of summer.

View all of our Elderflower & Elderberry Recipes here

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This Elderflower & Sea Salt Ice Cream is one of those dreamy summer recipes that feels a bit fancy but is actually super simple to make. The Elderflower brings a gentle floral sweetness, while the sea salt gives just the right kick to stop it from being too delicate. It’s creamy, refreshing, and just a little unexpected—in the best way. No ice cream maker needed, just a bit of whisking and some patience while it freezes (the hardest part!).

Click here to see our Elder ID guide.

Ingredients to make our Elderflower & Sea Salt Ice Cream:

Serves 6

• 2 free-range egg yolks
• 185 ml Elderflower cordial
• 35 g (2 tbsp) sugar
• 425 ml double cream, whipped
• ½ – ¾ tsp rock salt, lightly crushed

Click here for our Elderflower cordial recipe.

Method to bring our Elderflower & Sea Salt Ice Cream together:

1. In a mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar until the mixture is pale, smooth, and a bit fluffy. It should look like a light custard.
2. Slowly pour in the Elderflower cordial, whisking as you go so everything blends nicely. The mix should smell amazing at this point!
   
3. Gently fold in the lightly whipped cream using a spatula or spoon. You want it well combined but still light and airy.
4. Sprinkle in the crushed rock salt—start with about ½ teaspoon, taste, and add a little more if you fancy a slightly saltier edge. It should be subtle but noticeable.
   
5. Pour the mixture into a freezer-safe container (a loaf tin works well), cover it, and pop it in the freezer. Let it chill for at least 6 hours, or overnight if you can wait that long.
   
6. Let the ice cream sit out for 5–10 minutes before scooping. Serve it as-is, or with an extra drizzle of cordial, a few berries and a biscuit!

View all of our Elderflower & Elderberry Recipes here

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With apple juice, Elderflower, a squeeze of citrus, and a fizzy top-up of cloudy lemonade, it’s fresh, fruity, and ridiculously easy to throw together. No fancy kit, no fuss—just grab a jug, some ice, and a few pals. Perfect for picnics, garden lounging, or pretending you’re the kind of person who forages (we won’t tell).

Ingredients to make our Elder and Orchard:

• 250ml/10½fl oz white rum
• 700ml/1 pint 5fl oz apple juice
• 50ml/2fl oz Elderflower cordial
• 2 lemons, halved
• 1 lime, cut into wedges
• cloudy lemonade, to top up

Click here for our Elderflower cordial recipe

Method to mix the Elder and Orchard:

1. Pour the rum, apple juice and Elderflower cordial into a large jug.
2. Squeeze in the juice of the two lemons, then add the lemon pieces and lime wedges. Mix with a wooden spoon.
3. Half-fill a plastic cup filled with ice with the rum mixture, then top up with cloudy lemonade.

View all of our Elder flower & Elderberry Recipes here

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Candied Angelica stems are a very old form of candy, I remember it as something bright green that my Nana used to decorate trifles. Normally Garden Angelica (Angelica archangelica) is used but in my opinion the wild variety has lots more flavour. This recipe is really simple and only really has 2 ingredients, it can be a bit laborious but it’s well worth the time and effort.

Angelica – Angelica Sylvestris, a common, native member  of the Carrot or Umbellifer family. It’s not the easiest plant to ID as its leaves look a little like Hemlock Water Dropwort (Oenanthe crocata) so care must be taken. Also like other members of the family,  it contains phototoxic compounds called furanocoumarins that may cause sensitivity to the sun. Contact with the juice can cause a rash or skin irritation in some. Please don’t let this put you off,  cultivated parsnips for example contain the same compounds and they are widely eaten and don’t come with a health warning on the packet. But it’s always best to be on the safe side, so wear some gloves just in case.

Ingredients:

• Fresh, tender Angelica stems, cut into inch-long pieces
• Sugar
• Water

Click here for our Angelica identification guide.

Instructions:

1. Prepare Angelica Stems:
   – Blanch the Angelica stems in boiling water for a few minutes.
   – Drain and allow them to cool.
   – Peel off the fibrous outer skin from the stems.
2. Create Syrup:
   – In a pot, bring equal parts water and sugar to a rolling boil.
3. First Boil:
   – Add the prepared Angelica stems to the boiling syrup.
   – Boil for 5 minutes.
   – Remove the stems and let the syrup boil rapidly for an additional 5 minutes
4. Infusion:
   – Pour the hot syrup over the Angelica stems, covering them.
   – Allow the mixture to cool, then refrigerate for at least 12 hours.

Repeat Process:
– Drain the syrup and bring it to a rolling boil.
– Boil the Angelica stems for 5 minutes.
– Remove the stems and boil the syrup rapidly for another 5 minutes.
– Repeat this process at least one more time.

Final Step:
– After the last infusion, remove the Angelica stems and pat them dry.
– Toss the dried stems in caster sugar until fully coated.

Drying:
– Dry the sugar-coated Angelica stems in a dehydrator or a low oven.

Storage:
– Store the candied Angelica stems in a sealed container or jar.

Find more amazing Wild Food recipes here:

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As the winter sun gently kisses the earth, and the cool winter breeze fills our lungs, there’s no better time to embrace your inner forager and embark on a culinary adventure like no other with our Hogweed Seed & Carrot Cake Recipe.

Foraging, the art of gathering wild edible plants and fruits, opens up a world of flavours and textures that can elevate your dishes to new heights. Not only does foraging connect us with nature, but it also offers a range of health benefits.

So, if you’re looking for a showstopper dessert that will impress your friends and family, look no further than this mouthwatering carrot cake recipe with a dash of Hogweed seeds. The combination of the earthy sweetness of carrots and the zesty notes of Hogweed seeds creates a flavour explosion that will leave everyone wanting more

Ingredients:

• 175g brown sugar
• 175ml sunflower oil
• 3 large eggs, 
• 2 carrots, grated
• 110g raisins
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground common Hogweed seeds (or the seeds from inside 2 pods of cardamom ground)
• 180g self-raising flour
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

To see our Hogweed identification guide click here.

For the icing

• 300g icing sugar
• 150g butter
• A drop of vanilla essence

Method:

• Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C) and pop cupcake cases in a cupcake tin, or grease a 9-inch round cake pan.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs, oil & brown sugar and mix together.
• Next add in the carrots, raising, cinnamon & c.hogweed seeds & mix together.
• Now add the self raising flour & bicarbonate of soda through a sieve.
• Mix it all really well until you have a batter.
• Split this between your 12 cupcake cases & bake for about 15 minutes until the centre is no longer runny (pop a skewer in the middle to check)
• Once baked remove & leave out to cool for at least 20 minutes before icing.

Whilst that’s Cooking let’s make the icing:

• Chuck the butter in a bowl and stir until it’s softening nicely
• Add half the icing sugar, making sure to sieve it in to remove any lumps & stir until incorporated nicely.
• Add a splash of vanilla essence and the rest of the icing sugar, through a sieve again and mix well – leave it in the fridge.

Now scoop the icing on top to your heart’s content, use a piping bag if you’re getting all pro or just dollop it on like I do & of course it’s best enjoyed with a cup of tea.

Tips for Incorporating Hogweed Seeds into Other Dishes

Often I hear the question “Can you eat Hogweed Seeds?” and we absolutely can!

Now that you’ve experienced the wonder of hogweed seeds in a carrot cake, it’s time to explore their endless possibilities in other dishes. Here are a few tips to help you incorporate Hogweed seeds into your culinary creations:

• Spice up your marinades: Add a teaspoon or two of Hogweed seeds to your marinades for meats, tofu, or vegetables. The citrusy notes will infuse the flavours beautifully.
• Upgrade your roasted veggies: Toss your favourite vegetables with olive oil, salt, pepper, and a sprinkle of Hogweed seeds before roasting. The seeds will add a burst of flavour and crunch to your dish.
• Create a unique spice blend: Combine Hogweed seeds with other spices like cumin, coriander, and paprika to create your own signature spice blend. Use it to season roasted potatoes, grilled meats, or even popcorn!

Happy foraging and bon appétit!

For more fabulous wild food recipes click here.

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This Marsh Samphire & Caramel Ice Cream Recipe is mind-blowing – As a culinary enthusiast, I am always on the lookout for unique and exciting ingredients to incorporate into my recipes. One such ingredient that has recently caught my attention is Marsh Samphire. Also known as Sea Asparagus or Glasswort, Marsh Samphire is a succulent plant that grows in marshy areas and is abundant in coastal regions. Its vibrant green colour and delicate texture make it a visually appealing addition to any dish.

In this article, I will introduce you to the world of Marsh Samphire, share the art of foraging for this delicious ingredient, highlight its health benefits, and ultimately, provide you with a mouth-watering recipe for Marsh Samphire and caramel ice cream.

The Art of Foraging for Marsh Samphire

Foraging for Marsh Samphire is a delightful experience that connects us with nature and allows us to appreciate the bounties it has to offer. The best time to forage for this delectable plant is during the summer months when it is at its peak. Marsh Samphire can be found in coastal areas, particularly in salt marshes and estuaries. Look for areas where the land meets the water, as this is where Samphire thrives.

When foraging, it is important to follow sustainable practices. Only harvest what you need and be mindful of the ecosystem you are a part of.  Samphire can be easily identified by its vibrant green colour and its slender, succulent stems. Gently pluck the stems from the base, leaving the roots intact. Rinse thoroughly to remove any sand or debris, and it is ready to be used in your culinary creations.

Health Benefits of Marsh Samphire

In addition to its culinary appeal,  Samphire also offers a range of health benefits. This nutrient-packed plant is an excellent source of vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C, vitamin A, iron, and calcium. It is also rich in dietary fibre and antioxidants, which contribute to overall well-being.

The high vitamin C content supports a healthy immune system and aids in collagen production, promoting healthy skin and hair. Its iron content is beneficial for maintaining healthy blood circulation, while calcium supports strong bones and teeth. Additionally, the dietary fibre promotes digestive health and helps regulate blood sugar levels.

Here’s our Video for Cooking this Recipe

Ingredients:

• 50-100g Marsh Samphire (trimmed and cleaned)
• 100g condensed milk caramel
• 300ml Whipping Cream

Method: 

1. In a bowl Whip up your cream to soft peaks
2. Fold through the condensed milk caramel so you get nice swirls (we’re folding so we keep as many bubbles in the cream as possible)
3. Fold through the trimmed Samphire so it’s spread evenly
4. Pop in a freezer safe tub and freeze for a minimum of 2 hours and then a maximum of 3 months.

Click here for more Wild Food Recipes

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This Bilberry and apple fruit leather Recipe is the perfect way to preserve bilberries for use later in the year. It can be reheated with a little water to turn back to a jam or pie filling or can be used as is as a fruit leather or jerky which is incredible as a mid-hike snack.

Cooking – 30 minutes

Until finishes – 6hrs

Makes a two large baking trays worth or 30 rolls

This Bilberry and apple fruit leather Recipe always reminds me of chewy sweets and is the perfect thing to take out on a long walk as a snack.

Click here to see our bilberry foraging guide

Bilberry and apple fruit leather Recipe – Well, What are Fruit Leathers Anyway?

Fruit leathers, sometimes referred to as fruit roll-ups, are a popular homemade snack made by pureeing fresh fruit and then slowly drying it to create a chewy, sweet treat.

They’re a fantastic way to use up an abundance of ripe fruit and are particularly loved by myself for their natural sweetness and concentrated fruity flavour. Fruit leathers are a great alternative to sugary snacks, offering a healthier option that’s packed with vitamins and fibre without any of the added preservatives found in many commercial snacks.

They’re an absolutely fantastic way to preserve wild fruit, especially when we experience the fruit glut that many do when either foraging or growing their own fruit, you can even mix and match fruit in there to make new interesting flavours and really work through the fruit gluts.

To make fruit leathers, the fruit is pureed and spread thinly on a baking tray or dehydrator sheet, then slowly dried at a low temperature until it becomes a leathery texture. Once dried, the fruit can be cut into strips and rolled up, making it easy to store and enjoy on the go. Popular fruits used for making leathers include apples, strawberries, raspberries, and plums, but you can get creative with any foraged fruit you have on hand.

There’s loads of dehydrators out there but this is the one I use when I make this Bilberry and apple fruit leather Recipe (we get no commission for anyone getting this one, I just like it)

One of the best things about fruit leathers is their long shelf life. When stored in airtight containers, they can last for several months, making them a handy snack to have on hand, especially when fresh fruit is out of season. They’re also incredibly versatile—you can mix different fruits together to create unique flavour combinations, or even add a hint of spice like cinnamon or ginger to make them more interesting.

Ingredients:

You don’t need a mass of ingredients to cook our Bilberry and apple fruit leather Recipe, just 3 simple ingredients, very similar to making jam, however please feel free to chuck in whatever other fruit you have lying around, on the turn, a glut of or some you think may be nice.

• 500 grams cooking apples, peeled and cored (cut them as you like, diced, quartered)
• 200 grams bilberries (or 20 minutes bilberry collecting)
• 200 grams jam sugar

Method:

Lets grab the pan out, peel some apples and get cooking this Bilberry and apple fruit leather Recipe

1. Put the apples in a large pan and cook on medium heat for 10 minutes, until it starts to mush down slightly, add the sugar and bilberries and cook for a further 5 minutes.
2. Put the whole lot in a blender and blitz until a smooth consistency is reached
3. Boil this mixture until it starts to caramelise (usually around 30 minutes on a medium heat).
4. Once you’ve reached this stage, pour this mixture in to two large non-stick dish (at least 30x20cms, it’s good to be spread thin so put in even more separate dishes if you have small ones – a thick spread in the tray will take forever to dry) with a lining of baking paper and place in your oven on 100C/200F/Gas mark 3. Leave the door of the oven slightly ajar and allow all of the liquid to evaporate from the mixture, I leave for 4 hours and then check how it feels – it should peel out of the tray easily and shouldn’t feel wet or overly sticky, if it is I leave it in another hour and try again (depending on how much liquid was in the initial ingredients this can take up to 10 hours).
   
   Our Bilberry and apple fruit leather Recipe is pretty much finished. You should now be able to peel your fruit leather off your tray and can eat it straight away, or roll it up in the baking paper and store in the fridge or an airtight jar.
   
   This is amazing preservation and should store for at least 1 yr in your jar.

Find our Bilberry Recipes right here

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Wild Plums are a common sight on these shores and as all members of the plum family are edible they are really beginner friendly. Typically appearing as a large bush or small tree, up to 8m in height.

Wild Plums aren’t technically wild, they are feral and grow from the seeds of cultivated plums, which is thought to be a crossbreed of sloes (Prunus spinosa) and cherry plums (Prunus cerasifera). Every generation of Wild Plums tries to revert back to their wild ancestors and the fruits become progressively smaller and sourer.

There are also several subspecies of Prunus domestica including Greengages, Mirabelle plums and Damsons.

Common Names

Wild plum, Plum

Botanical Name

Prunus domestica 

Scientific Classification

Kingdom – Plantae

Order – Rosales

Family – Rosaceae

Physical Characteristics for Wild Plum

Leaves

The leaves can vary quite a lot depending on the exact subspecies but tend to be oval to teardrop shaped, They have serrated margins and are smooth on top and typically downy underneath. Around 4-8 cm long, they are deep green in colour. 

Flowers

The flowers typically appear around the same time as the leaves. They have 5 petals and are white to pink in colour. The flowers grow in clusters of 2-4 on very short stalks

Fruit

The fruit, technically a drupe (a fruit that has seeds surrounded by rock-like pits.) again can be quite variable depending on the subspecies. They are smooth, round to oblong in shape and typically between 4-6 cm long. They can be deep purple, red, yellow or green in colour. The fruits of all Prunus species contain one, large flat seed or ‘stone’.   

Habitat

They are common in hedgerows, woodland edges, parks and wastelands. They fruit best in sheltered spots with some protection from the elements.

Known Hazards

The only toxins in plums are in the stones, plums stones and the seeds of many other plants, such as pears and cherries contain amygdalin, a cyanogenic glycoside composed of cyanide and sugar. When metabolised in the digestive system, this chemical degrades into highly poisonous hydrogen cyanide. A lethal dose of hydrogen cyanide can kill within minutes. 

But before you get too worried the seeds need to be crushed or powdered (whole seeds will pass through your digestive tracts whole) and we are able to process small amounts of hydrogen cyanide, so swallowing  a couple of stones would be harmless. Normal consumption is quite safe.

Could be Confused with

Other plums, but as I said all members of the family are safe to eat. Really, taste tells you what to do with them. 

Edible Uses of Wild Plum

Depending on their sweetness they are lovely eaten straight from the tree when ripe. You’ll know they are ripe when they come away from the stems easily or you’ll see fallen fruit on the ground. They can be picked slightly unripe and then left to ripen at home for a few days.

In general the larger fruits are sweeter as they are closer to their domesticated relatives and the small ones are sometimes so sour they’re only good for sloe gin style liquors and wine. 

As well as using them in desserts such as pie and crumbles they’re great in savory recipes too. I stew them down with Chinese spices, soy and vinegar to make a sauce to serve with pork. They also work really well in salads.

The flowers are also edible and have a lovely almond flavour. They are great as a garnish for desserts, added to salads or can be dried and infused in alcohol.

Notes on Herbal Uses

There are many health benefits to eating Plums. They are high in phytochemicals and nutrients that lower the inflammation that triggers heart disease. Plums, like prunes, have a lot of sorbitol, a sugar alcohol that acts as a natural laxative. The potassium in Plums is good for blood pressure control as it helps your body get rid of sodium, it also lessens tension in the walls of your blood vessels. When your blood pressure is lower, your odds of getting a stroke go down. 

They are rich in antioxidants which protect the body against the cell and tissue damage that can lead to diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and cancer. 

They are also high in soluble fibre which helps slow down a blood sugar spike after you eat.

Research on animals shows prunes (dried plums) may help reduce bone loss, and may even reverse it.

Extra notes from the Foragers

Plums can be found almost everywhere in the world apart from Antarctica. They are the world’s second most cultivated fruit after tomatoes! 

Plums play an important role in traditional Chinese culture, the five petals represent the Five Blessings: old age, wealth, health, love of virtue, and a natural death. It is a common motif during Lunar New Year celebrations.

References:

More from the woodland trust

more from naturespot

more on the herbal benefits

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