Blackberry season is a great time of year, it gets you out and about exploring the hedgerows in search of the perfect plump blackberry. In anticipation that there will be better or more blackberries in the next hedgerow or field, you walk further, gather more fruits and return home jubilant with your bounty.
With your blackberry hoard washed and weighed, the next dilemia is what to make with them, should it be blackberry jelly, chutney or apple and blackberry crumble? Or maybe these and more, but not all at once that’s for sure!
Blackberry jelly is my favourite and is a great hit with the family throughout the year as an accompaniment to meats, great with roast dinners, it was therefore my first product. I like to use the Waitrose recipe for this as it is quick and easy to make.
http://www.waitrose.com/home/recipes/recipe_directory/b/blackberry_jelly.html
I was pleased with the jelly set and quickly used up my sterilised recycled jam jars. I enjoyed labelling and decorating the jars with bows, ready to give as gifts.
I choose to freeze one container of blackberries by laying them out on a baking tray to freeze individually before returning them to the airtight container for a later recipe. (These I would probably use to make Blackberry and Apple Crumble when we has guests for Sunday dinner).
The following day I used the remaining blackberries to make a batch of Lorraine Pascale’s Apple, Blackberry and Cinnamon Chutney, scrummy with cheese and biscuits or in a ham sandwich.
http://goodfoodshared.blogspot.co.uk/2011/11/apple-blackberry-and-cinnamon-chutney.html
It is so versatile you can use as an accompaniment to salads, cold meats and cheeses.
With all my products lining up, I can feel a few gift hampers will soon be made, but not today… now for a well earned glass of wine.