Hello, Blackberry Way . . .*

*with apologies to The Move (see below)

There are blackberry bushes – and there are blackberry bushes – and there is mine:

blackberry

It’s absolutely HUGE – and laden with fruit! Underneath are some old fallen apple trees, mistletoe, nettles and probably a host of homes for rabbits, mice and badgers. Luckily, I have lots of friends to come and pick – and lots of recipes. Blackberries freeze beautifully – just lay them out, singly, on a tray and pop in the freezer. Leave for a few hours and put in a bag. We eat them all through the Winter first thing in the morning with porridge or on their own for a quick burst of Vitamin C and sunshine.

We all love blackberry crumble (with or without apple), pies and ice cream but I hope you will give these a try, too, when you can:

Blackberry Crumble Overnight Oats:

50g fresh or frozen blackberries
1 teaspoon runny honey
small handful chopped almonds or walnuts
40g porridge oats
150ml milk
3 drops almond extract (optional)

Put all the ingredients into a jar, stir, put the lid on and chill in the fridge overnight. In the morning, top with extra nuts, if wanted.

If you prefer your oats wared, microwave the mixture in the morning for 30 seconds to release the aromas and flavours.

Blackberry Fridge Jam (as the name implies, you keep this in the fridge once made. It has half the amount of sugar normally used so better for you. I put it into small jars so that I am opening and using quickly)

Weigh however many blackberries you have and put in a bowl. Weigh out half that weight in preserving sugar and add to the bowl. Mash the fruit up slightly and leave aside for no less than an hour. Put into a saucepan (you can at this point add a tablespoon of cassis if you like/have), bring to the boil and stir a rolling boil for exactly 5 minutes. Allow to cool and put into sterilised jars.

Blackberry, Elderflower and Mint Fool

200g ripe blackberries
1 – 2 tbsp elderflower cordial
60g caster sugar
a few fresh mint sprigs
150ml double cream
125ml full-fat Greek yogurt

Put the blackberries in a saucepan with the elderflower cordial, caster sugar and fresh mint sprigs. Set the pan over a medium heat and gently bubble the mixture for 10-15 minutes until the berries soften and release their juices, then reduce to a thick coulis. Remove from the heat and let it cool a little, then taste, adding more sugar or a dash more cordial if needed. Remove the mint sprigs. Allow the mixture to cool completely (it will become more like jam in consistency). Pour the double cream into a large bowl then, using an electric mixer, whisk to soft-medium peaks. Stir in the Greek yogurt, then fold in the cooled blackberry coulis, creating a swirled effect. Spoon the fool into a dish and serve straightaway, or cover and chill for up to 6 hours.

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