Everybody loves blackberries. There are fairly just a few ranges of fairly good wild blackberry hedges close to the place I stay. For the reason that roads are additionally quiet sufficient, they do not get so drenched in exhaust fumes. However this 12 months, poking round some previous again roads, I hit the jackpot and located quarter mile of the largest, juiciest, most bountiful blackberry bushes I’ve ever seen!
I parked the automotive and pulled out the little bowl my daughter and I had introduced with us in case we discovered some luscious fruits of the forest. Seems I had to make use of the sink I had within the trunk of the automotive because the final cooking demo I did! There have been blackberries so far as my eyes might see – I used to be like a little bit boy once more – smiling to myself as we picked the berries and ate nearly as a lot as we picked! They had been so completely ripe they nearly fell off their skins into our arms.
I used to be reminded of the time when my brother and I spent two weeks throughout the summer time months staying with our aunt, Nora Boyle, just a few miles outdoors of Donegal city so Mum might have one other room for the Mattress & Breakfast company. Nora is a good baker and taught me lots of the older Irish recipes that I nonetheless take pleasure in making. She grew fruit and veggies at dwelling, baked each day, dried Dillisk on sheets within the backyard, and despatched us to choose blackberries so she might make her Apple & Blackberry Jam to placed on the very best selfmade Syrup & Ginger Bread ever.
We spent half the day in fields and again roads, with our cousins, selecting the succulent wild berries and consuming till we had been in ache!
I am an enormous believer in “perfume” and the way it can set off recollections and take you to a sure level in your life with the deadliest accuracy. Nicely, to me, the odor of blackberries means 10 years previous, on trip, “within the nation”.
The scent of recent, ripe blackberries is so heavenly and distinctive that it’ll enchant even essentially the most distinguished wine connoisseurs. If they are saying there are “notes of Blackberry” in that 2004 Stag’s Leap Cabernet Sauvignon or no matter, they most likely have not had an opportunity to stay their sniffer in a hand-picked bucket of the actual juicy blackberry, flat on the ‘Liaan’!
Anyway, so Lily and I picked just below 3kg of those massive, shiny, black-purple berries in about 40 minutes! On the way in which dwelling I questioned what to make first, a Crumble, a Tart, simply Jam, some Chutney…
blackberry pie
A ten″ pie pan
Preheat your oven to 170°C
My substances:
Candy pastries
200g plain flour
100g Butter
75 g caster sugar
1 medium egg
a little bit chilly water
Madeira sponge combine
100g Butter
100 grams caster sugar
2 medium eggs
125g self elevating flour
1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence
a little bit milk
filling:
500g Blackberries
4 tablespoons caster sugar
Glaze:
2 tbsp. sweetheart
2 tbsp. Orange juice
My technique:
1. Gently wash the blackberries in a sieve with chilly water and allow them to drain whilst you make the remainder of the pie.
2. For the dough, rub the butter into the flour till it resembles breadcrumbs. Add the sugar and blend. Break within the egg and knead the dough with a little bit chilly water if crucial. Cooling.
3. For the Madeira, stir the butter and sugar till mild and ethereal. Add an egg with a tablespoon of flour and beat effectively till easy. Add the 2nd egg with a little bit flour and beat effectively till easy. The little little bit of flour will assist stop the combination from curdling as you combine within the egg.
4. Add all of the flour and blend effectively. Add the vanilla essence and blend. Add a little bit little bit of milk to convey the Madeira combine to a dripping consistency.
5. Grease the cake tin with some butter and dirt with flour. Roll out the dough and line the mould. Press it gently and minimize off the surplus.
6. Fill the tin lined with baking paper with the blackberries and dirt with the caster sugar.
7. Spoon the Madeira combination on prime and use the again of a spoon dipped in chilly water to softly easy the combination to fill in any gaps.
8. Bake within the preheated oven for about half-hour. 40 minutes or till sponge is agency to the contact and golden brown.
9. Warmth the honey and orange juice collectively for 20 seconds in a cup within the microwave and unfold this icing (or some marmalade jam) over the nice and cozy cake.
10. Take a step again and see how lengthy you may wait earlier than consuming it!
Having fun with.
Up my submit The making of Hedgerow Blackberry & Apple Jam is right here and mine Blackberry ice cream is right here!
Bag
