I don’t get any marks for great photography for this picture, except to show you the container of booze with the raisins plumping up as you read this!
My favorite recipe book, “Cook Simple” by Diana Henry, has this idea in it and it’s brilliant.
There are so many uses for these raisins, in baked apples, poured over ice cream, heated or kept cold, in bread puddings, in trifles ……
Put either “Chilean Flame” raisins ( in Los Angeles, they are just called “Flame”) or good Moscatel raisins into a tall sealed jar, leaving enough room for the fruit to expand as it plumps up.
Pour over enough booze (it should be something sweet like Madeira or Marsala) to cover the fruit completely, put the lid on tightly and leave to plump up.
In a day or so, top up with more booze if the fruit is starting to come over the level of the liquid.
These are delicious served with vanilla ice cream, or big dollops of Greek yoghurt or creme fraiche. Scatter the serving with toasted hazelnuts, pine nuts or almonds.
I just had Wallaby non fat vanilla yoghurt with flax seeds and some of these raisins in it for breakfast and Oh my gosh it was divine!
I put the container of “boozy raisins” in the fridge and they are perfect!