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Wild Food and Foraging
What to make with Hawthorn fruits
What to make with Hawthorn fruits
13th October 2023
Late summer into early autumn is a season of plenty for the forager, the time of year when fruits, nuts and fungi are bountiful. Hedgerows heave under the weight of fruits and foliage and their colours are ramping up ahead of the annual change from green to shades of amber. This year has been particularly good for most fruits (aside from some plum species) conditions have been seemingly perfect for their development, with both sun and rain to produce large amounts of berries of fantastic quality. Hawthorn berries and rose hips are looking particularly good right now, bright red, plump and ripe.
What do Hawthorn fruits taste like?
What do Hawthorn fruits taste like?
When out foraging, the hawthorn tree is often overlooked or considered a second-choice or add-on to the main fruits, and it always surprises people when they try a haw (the name for the fruit of this tree) for the first time on one of our foraging courses. The flavour is fruity which misaligns with the texture which is likened to avocado. Haws aren’t technically a berry, although they are commonly known this way, when ripe they have a red skin which surrounds the creamy avocado-like flesh which is formed around a central stone which contains a seed. This make up is more like that of a plum or cherry than a true berry (such as blackcurrants). When using the fruits of Hawthorn for foods you’ll be targeting the flesh, this is where the main flavour comes from and it is easy to separate out from the skin (still edible) and stones (best not to eat as the seeds contain cyanide)
Ideas to make with Haws
Ideas to make with Haws
The fruits are easy to identify and collect in large quantities and can be used to make fruit leathers (another name for a fruit roll-up), a fruity jelly which is a good accompaniment to game meat, and even to flavour alcohols like gin and brandy. When making jams and jellies it’s best to use a recipe for guidance because there are ratios of sugar to juice which all help it to set. However fruit leathers are a place where you can experiment endlessly with different combinations, quantities and additions.
Simple method for making fruit leather with Hawthorn
Simple method for making fruit leather with Hawthorn
Take your washed Haws and put them into a sieve, pour boiling water over them to scald the fruit – this softens the skins and fruits a little making the next step easier. Put the Haws into a bowl and mash them with a small amount of hot water (you can add more as required) using a potato masher, end of a rolling pin or other similar implement. Your aim is to separate out the pulp from the stones, but try to keep it all fairly dry. Next you use a wooden spoon to push the pulp through a sieve, leaving the stones behind (which you can then plant to grow into a Hawthorn tree!)
You can then mix this purée of haws with other puréed fruits like raspberries, apples, rosehips, blackcurrants – or keep it as simply hawthorn fruit. Spread the purée onto silicone sheets or greaseproof paper at about 3mm thick and dry in a dehydrator or a cool oven with the door left ajar until it has dried to the right consistency. Fruit leather should not be sticky to the touch when done. Cut into strips or any other shape of your choice and store in an airtight container. In our house they are all eaten before they have a chance to go mouldy!
With over a decade of experience working outside in the UK doing everything from dry stone walling to tree planting and carrying out wildlife surveys. Amy is our resident ecologist and wild food enthusiast, and also works as a consultant for various brands and wildlife organisations. Amy lives in North Wales.
A Life more Wild.
A Life more Wild.
A Life More Wild is the philosophy which underpins everything we do.
It encompasses practical skills, personal development, community learning and a journey to live more intentionally.
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