A rewarding task for the children

Press, 31 March 1980, Page 16

A rewarding task for the children

FOOD AND RECIPES

By

Celia Timms

For anyone .who can spare the time to pick blackberries, the reward is well worth . the effort.Most children need little persuasion to take on this job and providing Mum has a reliable stain removal prescription all should be well and the family can enjoy some of the following ways ; of cooking them. I always feel that I’ve been “done out of” something rather special if. I miss on fresh blackberries. BLACKBERRY TART

The following French Blackberry Tart is really something special. . Very ripe fruit is required as they are eaten uncooked; you also need a cooked jart shell in biscuit or

short crust. For an Bin to 9in tart you will need: 1 cup blackberries plus 3 additional cups |:cup sugar J cup water 2 dessertspoons corn-

flour 1 dessertspoon butter 1 tablespoon Cointreau liqueur i cup slivered toasted

almonds . 1 cup cream 2 tablespoons sugar } teaspoon almond essence

Baked pie shell Method: Mix one cup of blackberries with icup sugar and the water and bring slowly to the boil.Cook until berries are soft, about 10 minutes,

Rub through a sieve or puree in blender. Return to saucepan, add cornflour dissolved in a little: cold water and cook until thickened. Stir in butter and Cointreau, cool. Add almonds and gently stir in three cups uncooked blackberries. Pour into pie shell and regrigerate for several hours. Whip cream until stiff, blend in sugar

and almond essence and cover the pie with this just before serving, ~ BLACKBERRY SLICE* Blackberry Slice is a type of shortcake and is better served warm with the accompnaying sauce and cream. For six to eight servings you need: 3 - 4 cups blackberries 175 g butter; J cup sugar 2 eggs 1J cups flour 3 teaspoons cornflour Method: Beat the butter until creamy, add the sugar and beat again until light. Add eggs one, at a time beating well after

each. Stir in sifted flour. Spread half of the mixture in a well greased shallow pan (approx. 7in x ’lliri), Combine blackberries with one cup water and sugar to taste in pan and bring slowly to the boil; cook until berries are just soft — six to eight minutes. Drain and reserve syrup. Spread the well drained fruit over the batter and top with remaining mixture. Bake at 350 F for 40 to 45 minutes. Place syruo in small pan and add cornflour mixed with a little cold water. Stir until chickened. STREUSEL KUCHEN Blackberry Streusel Kuchen is a type of dessert cake with a spiced crumb topping and is particularly good served warm with whipped cream.- To make an Bin to 9in Kuchen you need: 1} cups flour 2| teaspoons baking powder { teaspoon salt 1 egg i cup milk 4 tablespoons melted butter | cup sugar 2J-3 cups blackberries Additional for Topping: 1 /3 cup flour | cup sugar 4 tablespoons softened butter | teaspoon cinnamon Method: Sift flour twice with baking powder and salt. -Beat egg well, add milk, melted butter .and sugar. Combine with dry ingredients and pour into a well buttered and

floured 9 inch cake pan. Cover with blackberries. Mix additional flour with sugar, butter and cinnamon into crumb mixture and spread this over the fruit. Bake at 375 F fctr 50 to 60 minutes. Serve warm. BLACKBERRY ANO WALNUT LOAF Blackberry and Walnut Loaf served sliced and buttered provides a differ-! ent tea bread. To make one loaf, about Sin by 4in by 2in, you need: 11 cups flour 2/3 cup sugar 1| teaspoon bi-carbonate of soda 11 teaspoon baking powder J teaspoon salt 1 egg Juice and grated rind of 1 orange 2 tablespoons butter cups blackberries j cup chopped walnuts Additional £ cup sifted flour

Method: Sift flour with sugar, bi-carb, baking powder and salt. Stir in beaten egg. Place orange, judice and rind in a meaing cup with butter and add sufficient boiling water to make | cup. Stir, this in to other ingredients and blend well. Combine blackberries, walnuts and the additional flour and add to the batter, blending gently but thoroughly. Pour into the well-greased loaf pan and bake at 350 F for one hour or until done when tested with a skewer. BLACKBERRY SOUFFLE Blackberry Souffle .is a delicious, light sweet flavoured with orange juice, For' 4 to 6 servings you will need: 2£sg blackberries 50g sugar 1 tablespoon gelatine 4 tablespoons orange juice J cup cream 3 egg-whites Method: Soften gelatine in a very little cold water, add orange juice and heat gently until dissolved; add sugar. Cool. Press berries through a sieve (preferably plastic as metal tends to discolour the fruit) or whirl in blender. Add to gelatine and orange juice,

Lightly fold in cream, whipped stiffly. Cover and chill until beginning to set. Whip egg-whites with a pinch of salt until stiff and carefully fold in to partly set mixture. Pile into a straight-sided souffle dish or individual dishes and chill, for 1 to 2 hours. Serve with additional whipped cream or a sweet custard sauce flavoured with a pinch <rf ci« nnamon.

BLACKBERRY CAKE This Blackberry Cake has the fruit cooked in with the batter and is flavoured with cocoa and spice. It is particularly good with a mock cream filling, cooked in a small round cake pan and cut in half, horizontally, when cold, or cooked in two sandwich tins. You will need: 2/3 cup butter 1J cups sugar 2 eggs 2 cups flour 1 teaspoon bi-carbonate of soda 1 cup milk | teaspoon cinnamon | teaspoon nutmeg 2 teaspoons cocoa 3 cups blackberries. Method: Cream butter and sugar until light, add eggs and continue to beat until very light and fluffy/. Add the flour sifted with soda, spices and cocoa alternately with the milk. Finally fold in fruit. The batter will be thick. Spoon into well greased and floured tin and bake at 350 F for 35 to 45 minutes depending on depth of tin.