Tropical cordial recipe

This thirst-quencher is great diluted with lemonade if you've got a sweet tooth. For a sharper taste, add bitter lemon.

Ingredients

• 2 pineapples, about 1kg (2¼lb) each in weight
• Zest and juice of 6 limes
• 6 passion fruit
• Approximately 325g (11oz) caster sugar
• Sieve lined with muslin or a jelly strainer
• Sterilised bottles

Method

1. Peel the pineapples and either finely chop the flesh or purée it in a food processor. Tip the flesh into a saucepan and add the lime zest and juice. Halve the passion fruit and scoop the flesh and seeds into the pan.
2. Pour 300ml (½ pint) water into the pan and place the pan on the hob. Bring the mixture to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer the mixture for about 10 mins.
3. Remove the pan from the heat and strain the mixture through either a sieve, lined with scaled muslin (line the sieve with muslin and pour boiling water through to wet the fabric) or use a jelly strainer. Leave mixture to strain for about 30 mins. Use just the strained juice for a clear cordial, or, to get as much juice as possible, squeeze the muslin or strainer (though the mixture may go cloudy).
4. Measure the amount of juice that has been extracted and use 30g (1oz) sugar for each 100ml (3½fl oz) juice. Pour the juice into a clean pan and add the sugar. Place pan on the hob and heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved. Bring the mixture to the boil and simmer the syrup for 2-3 mins, then remove the pan from the heat.
5. Leave the syrup to cool slightly, then pour it into sterilised bottles. Leave to cool and seal. Dilute the cordial to taste with sparkling water, lemonade or bitter lemon.