Sweet chilli toffee!

My first full growing season is now at an end. Winter has come earlier than expected although the beds are all empty now and their vegetable goodies harvested.

Only some nibbled cabbages remain that I have left for any remaining insects who want a cold snack.

Despite the fact that I am enjoying the rest for gardening I'm already planning what will go in which bed next spring.

Surprisingly, one crop that is still going are my chillis although the plants have now taken residence in my kitchen instead of the greenhouse.

I have had so many chillis in fact that I am struggling to use them all. Some have gone in chutneys and general cooking but the majority of them still need using up.

Last week I decided to make a sweet chilli sauce and found what appeared to be a good recipe in one of my preserving books.

As a word of warning here, never ever prepare chillis without gloves on. I had some small cuts on my fingers and was in agony for the rest of the day!

After putting all the ingredients into the pan I was somewhat unimpressed at the quantity that would be made. Leaving the chillis as they were I quadrupled the other ingredients thus making a nice amount of sauce.

The sauce needed simmering for 45 minutes and then 1 teaspoon of pectin adding. Due to the increase in the amount I increased that to 1 tablespoon instead.

As soon as the sauce was finished and I poured it into the jars it became apparent that the consistency was more than of jam than sauce. Sweet chilli jam sounds rather nice, I thought.

It was only the next morning when I investigated the jars that I found the sweet chilli jam had set as hard as toffee. Clearly the pectin was somewhat over-enthusiastic!

All is not lost however as microwaving it for a few seconds allows it to become temporarily spoonable and the taste really is lovely.

I'm looking for a new recipe for my next batch of sweet chilli sauce but I am quite proud to be known as the inventor of sweet chilli toffee!