With rainy weather, the falling leaves and darker evenings, autumn is well and truly here – whether we like it or not.
While the cold and gloomy weather doesn’t seem like much fun, it’s a great excuse to start making warm dinners and sweet treats again.
It’s also blackberry picking season.
So next time you go out on a walk and pick a couple of blackberries to eat, why not collect a whole punnet and bake something nice?
Lucy Lord, a cook, baker and recipe creator, has shared some recipes that will help you make good use of your berries.
Blackberry, lemon and thyme almond galette
‘Make the most of seasonal blackberries, paired with lemon, thyme and folded in a flakey, almond-toasted pastry,’ says Lucy.
‘Galettes (known as crostatas in Italy) are a thing of beauty.
‘A rustic, free-form pastry folded over a sweet or savoury filling – simple, quick to assemble, and no special baking tin needed!’
Time to prep: 20 minutes + 1-hour chill
Time to bake: 30 minutes
Servings: 8
Ingredients:
Pastry:
- 320g plain flour
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 220g butter, cold and cubed
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 – 2 tbsp ice cold water
Topping:
- 450g blackberries, fresh is best – for frozen see tips*
- 50g granulated sugar + 2 tbsp to sprinkle
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves (lemon or regular thyme)
- Juice from 1 lemon
- 30g flaked almonds
- 1 egg beaten, for egg wash (or use milk)
Method:
The dough:
The galette:
The filling:
Tips:
- if using frozen blackberries, defrost them by washing them in a sieve under cold water and then allowing them to air dry before moving them to a kitchen towel to absorb any moisture before using.
- to mix the cold butter into the flour mix, you can use a food processor, standing mixer (paddle attachment) or use a pastry cutter or fork. Break down any remaining big clumps by rubbing between fingers. Aim for a rough, dry sand or soil texture. Avoid using your hands too much, as this will melt the butter, and we want to keep it as cold as possible for a flaky pastry.
- Use other in-season berries such as blueberries, mixed berries or stone fruit such as peaches or nectarines.
- Store in an airtight container for up to three days, refrigerated.
- Un-baked dough will keep chilled in the fridge for three days or freezer for three months.
No-churn Blackberry crumble ice cream
‘I’m always hesitant to invest in new kitchen equipment because, more often than not, you use them for maybe a month, and then they gather dust in the cupboard,’ says Lucy.
‘I’m yet to own an ice-cream maker, and now – I’m not sure I’ll ever need to!
‘Sweet, creamy whipped cream and condensed milk as the base, swirled through with tart blackberries and a golden, crunchy crumble. Ideal for any season, served by itself or on the side of a hot, chocolatey dessert.’
Total time to make: 30 minutes + chill time
Servings: 16 large scoops
Ingredients:
Blackberry swirl:
- 200g blackberries
- 80g honey
- 2 tsp cornflour
Crumble:
- 90g plain flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 60g cold butter, cubed
- 60g dark brown sugar
Ice cream:
- 397g tin sweetened condensed milk
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste (or use vanilla extract)
- 480ml double cream
Method:
Blackberry swirl:
Crumble:
Ice cream:
To assemble:
Tips:
- This will keep in the freezer for up to three months.
- Use any other soft fruit or warm up a jam to swirl through.
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