10 of the best gooseberry recipes for using up a glut
Gooseberries are one of the fleeting treasures of high summer – so we’ve brought together 10 of our favourite recipes to showcase this fabulous fruit. Often picked underripe, still-green gooseberries have a sweet-sour tartness, giving them fantastic versatility and making these seasonal heroes a star in savoury dishes as well as sweet.
Whether you’ve never picked up a punnet before or have home-grown gooseberries galore, here are 10 brilliant reasons to cook with them this summer, including a few surprises, from simple gooseberry desserts to Indian-style skewers.
What time of year can you buy or pick gooseberries?
Gooseberries can be ready as early as the end of May in the UK, depending on the weather, but tend to ripen from late June to early August. The berries can be green, red or white and sweeten if left on the bush – but most are picked underripe, when they’re still green and mouth-puckeringly sour. This sourness makes them great to cook with.
Where did gooseberries come from?
Gooseberries have been cultivated in Britain since the 15th century. The first soft fruit of summer, they could grow all over the UK, even as far north as the Orkney Islands. They were so popular in the 19th century, in fact, that ‘gooseberry clubs’ were formed across the country, all competing to grow the heaviest berries (current record: 64.5g). In the 20th century, the arrival of a gooseberry fungus from the US caused a sharp decline in the fruit and curtailed most commercial interest.
Are gooseberries good for you?
They certainly are. Gooseberries are a rich source of vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamins B5 and B6. They’re also a good source of fibre, and other key nutrients like potassium, copper and manganese.
Can you freeze gooseberries?
Absolutely. Gooseberries freeze incredibly well, so make sure you pick more than you need and keep them on hand for use later in the year. It’s a good idea to ‘top and tail’ gooseberries before freezing. Remove the stalk and blossom ends using a paring knife or scissors. This means they’ll be ready to use in dishes once you defrost them. Freeze the fruits in a single layer on a baking tray, then decant into tubs or freezer bags. They’ll keep well in the freezer for 6-8 months.
How long will gooseberries last in the fridge?
Gooseberries can last for up to two weeks in the fridge, depending on how firm they are to the touch. Firm, slightly underripe gooseberries will last longest. Store them in a clean, lidded container lined with kitchen paper in the vegetable drawer of your fridge for best results.
What can you do with gooseberries?
The tart flavour of gooseberries makes them a great addition to both sweet and savoury dishes – from meaty mains and fresh salads to creamy desserts and golden bakes. Their flavour complements powerful savoury ingredients and dessert staples, such as biscuity pastry, crisp meringue and custard. Gooseberries pair particularly well with white chocolate, almonds and elderflower. Wondering how to make a quick gooseberry compote? Add 400g gooseberries (fresh, or frozen and thawed) and 50g caster sugar to a small pan over a medium heat. Cook for around 10 minutes, or until soft. For extra depth of flavour, try the baked gooseberry compote in this cheesecake recipe.
What’s the best way to preserve gooseberries?
Apart from freezing them, one of the best ways to preserve gooseberries is to make a classic gooseberry jam. Unopened jam can keep for 6-12 months in a cool, dark place (make sure you use a clean and sterilised jar).
10 of the best gooseberry recipes
Gooseberry cobbler
Cobbler is the American take on a crumble, with golden dumplings concealing the fruit filling. Jammy cooked gooseberries and a hint of heady elderflower form the perfect counterpart to the crunchy cobbler topping.
Gooseberry fool
Whip up a really simple gooseberry dessert with this easy recipe. Our speedy gooseberry fool takes just 10 minutes to make and has a generous serving of gooseberries, an elderflower-scented cream and a crunchy topping of crumbled amaretti biscuits and meringues.
Herby gooseberry focaccia
Food writer Georgina Hayden‘s inspired focaccia is topped with jammy gooseberries, making it a wonderful partner for mature or hard cheeses and cured meats. Bake this for your next picnic or al fresco lunch and you won’t be disappointed.
Gooseberry and ginger loaf cake
One of the most popular summer bakes on the delicious. website, this simple loaf cake combines fresh gooseberries with spicy warmth to very moreish effect. Finish with a drizzle of speedy gooseberry-flavoured icing, alongside chopped crystallised ginger for extra texture.
Pulled pork buns with fennel and gooseberry ketchup
Gooseberries – in ketchup?! That’s right. Here we’ve whizzed fruits into a ketchup with a fresh hit of fennel, to be slathered on buns and piled high with marinated pulled pork. Tart gooseberries are a surprisingly good partner to rich, fatty meats – creating plenty of sweet and tangy contrast.
Gooseberry and toasted coconut pavlova
Take a break from strawberry pavlova and try this showstopping summery number by food writer Angela Clutton. A gooseberry curd fragranced with elderflower cordial and bay leaf is spooned generously over a crispy meringue crown, alongside pillows of elderflower cream, poached gooseberries and toasted coconut flakes. Wow.
Sticky gooseberry cake with custard
This easy gooseberry cake is the perfect simple dessert for rainy summer days. The squidgy gooseberry sponge is fragranced with saffron and honey. Try it with double cream, vanilla ice cream or lashings of custard.
Elderflower and gooseberry tart
An elegant gooseberry tart inspired by the French classic tarte au citron but with a distinctly British twist. The gorgeous gooseberry pie has a rich, custard-yellow gooseberry and elderflower filling topped with neat icing sugar stripes. To recreate the look, cut strips of card and carefully lay them on top of the tart before dusting with icing sugar, then remove the card.
Gooseberry jam
You can rely on this sunny jam to preserve the flavour of high summer gooseberries to enjoy in the cooler month to come. The recipe only adds sugar and water, capturing the gooseberry’s unique flavour in all its glory.
Pepper and paneer skewers with gooseberry raita
You’ll love the combination of sweet and savoury flavours in this Indian-inspired gooseberry recipe. Grilled chunks of pepper and paneer cheese dusted in toasted cumin and garam masala pair wonderfully with the creamy, fruity raita.
Need more gooseberry ideas? We have inspiring recipes including adventurous salads and an elegant gooseberry panna cotta in our full gooseberry collection.