Blackberries make a lovely cream dessert

Press, 29 February 1984, Page 12

Blackberries make a lovely cream dessert

Alison Holst’s

Food Facts

Have you noticed how you always pass the best, most fruitful blackberry bushes when you are in a bus or train, or with a driver who will not stop. When you return to pick these perfect berries, somehow they are not the same — not so big, nor so plentiful — or else the really good ones are just out of reach. Here is a recipe Which turns a few berries into a rich, creamy dessert, nice for a warm autumn day. Only one cup of blackberries will produce four fairly small servings (or two very large ones!). Double the recipe for six medium-sized servings. I make my blackberry cream two to three hours before it is to be eaten. If made earlier, it sets more firmly. You can reduce the gelatine by % teaspoon, add quarter of a cup more liquid as you boil the berries, or beat an extra quarter cup of cream, if you plan to make it several hours before it is needed. I like the blackberry seeds in my blackberry cream so I do not sieve the mixture. If, however, you have picked very seedy berries, use a slightly larger quantity and sieve them after adding the gelatine. Shake and bang the sieve to you dislodge all

the pulp from the seeds, though. And one more warning: the blackberry jelly always seems to take a long time to set! Do not be impatient. For best results wait until the liquid is thickening before folding in the whipped cream. Blackberry cream: ‘A cup cold water PA teaspoons gelatine 1 cup blackberries ‘A cup wine or diluted apple juice 'A cup sugar */s teaspoon citric acid % cup cream, whipped Method: First measure the cold water into a small container, and sprinkle the gelatine over it evenly. Leave this to stand. Put aside a few perfect blackberries for a garnish then measure the remaining berries into a medium-sized pot. Add half a cup of liquid, using red or white wine, plain, or diluted with water, or water with a dash of sherry, or apple juice, diluted as desired with water. If nothing else is available, use plain water. (Do not add fruit juices which will overwhelm the blackberry flavour.) Add the sugar and citric acid, and bring to the boil, breaking up the berries with a potato masher.

As soon as mixture has boiled, remove from the heat and stir in the softened gelatine. Sieve if desired. Cool to room temperature by standing in container in cold water, then chili until the thickness of unbeaten egg white. For fastest chilling, stand container in a large bowl of ice blocks and water. While the liquid cools, whip, then chill, the cream. Fold the cream into the thickened gelatine fairly evenly, then pour into individual glasses or dishes and refrigerate until set. Garnish with a little whipped cream and a few perfect berries.