Peak season for British gooseberries is during the months of June and July. Ripe gooseberries are pale green, golden or reddish in colour, and their tart flavour makes them ideal fillings for fruit purees, chutneys and dessert recipes such as crumbles and sweet pastry pies. If you have acquired or grown a bumper crop of gooseberries, freezing them enables you to store them beyond the summer months and to use them in your recipes when required.

Place the gooseberries into a colander and wash them under cold, running water. Remove the stalks and tails from the gooseberries and then place them onto kitchen paper. Gently pat the gooseberries until they are thoroughly dry.

Space out the gooseberries on a freezer-proof tray or baking sheet and place the tray into the freezer. Let the gooseberries freeze overnight.

Remove the tray of frozen gooseberries from the freezer. Transfer the gooseberries into freezer bags or containers and place them back into the freezer for storage until required.