Great British Bake Off winner shares conker laundry detergent recipe

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 18 Oct, 09:08 · Archive

Nancy Birtwhistle, winner of the fifth series of Great British Bake Off, has revealed how to make free laundry detergent using conkers.

Nancy Birtwhistle, winner of the fifth series of Great British Bake Off, has shared a recipe for making laundry detergent from conkers as the seeds from horse chestnut trees fall throughout September and October. Ms Birtwhistle, a Sunday Times bestselling author from Hull, said: 'As we enter in autumn, we are also entering the conker season. So, it is time to make free detergent.'

She recommends freezing the conkers before use to make them easier to work with and to prevent the finished detergent from separating. Once frozen, the conkers should be sliced to remove their outer shells and cut into chunks. Ms Birtwhistle advises placing the pieces in a jug, covering them with boiling water, and leaving them to soak. The liquid can then be strained through a sieve into a bottle, leaving the conker pieces behind.

The remaining conker chunks can be blitzed with more boiling water using a hand blender until smooth, then strained again into the bottle. A few drops of perfume can be added if desired. Ms Birtwhistle recommends using around 10 conkers per litre of detergent.

How it is being reported

• Great British Bake Off winner reveals surprise use for conkersA Great British Bake Off winner has shared a recipe for making “free” laundry detergent using conkers.Bridgwater Mercury · 18 Oct, 08:00
• Great British Bake Off winner reveals surprise use for conkersA Great British Bake Off winner has shared a recipe for making “free” laundry detergent using conkers.Somerset County Gazette · 18 Oct, 08:00

In this story: Nancy Birtwhistle · Great British Bake Off · Hull

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