blackberry picking

Chipps · 7 August 2006 at 8:54PM

The fruit sounds like sloes, if they are quite small. They taste disgusting, but are good for making flavoured gin.
I picked loads of blackberries last week when visiting DD in Portsmouth. I think they are quite early this year cos its been so hot. Whatever the reason, we all enjoyed a lovely blackberry & apple crumble!

comping_cat · 7 August 2006 at 9:12PM

thriftlady wrote:

Can you remember whether there were lovely white flowers around April time but without leaves ? The sloe bush is called blackthorn because the flowers come before the leaves and the effect is to make the branches and long thorns look black. The thorns are about 2cm-2.5cm long.It's usually the first blossom you see in the hedges in Spring.

HTH:)

I cant remember seeing any flowers, i cant actually remember seeing the berries last year either, but they definatly look like sloes, tomorrow i will look and see if i can see any thorns, if i can, think i might pick some and stick them in some gin, i love sloe gin!!!!!

prettypennies · 8 August 2006 at 12:08PM

After a reasonably successful afternoon collecting blackberries with my children yesterday we made this cobbler:

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

1/2 cup Butter or margarine
3/4 cup Sugar
3/4 cup Milk
2 teaspoons Baking powder
1 cup Plain Flour
3 cups Blackberries with juice

Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Melt butter in a 9 x 13 cake pan.
Mix next 4 ingredients into a smooth batter.
Pour melted butter into flour mixture without scraping pan.
Stir until blended.
Pour blackberries with juice over batter.
Bake 45mins. Serve hot, warm, or cold.

Could the mystery berries be bilberries?

leonie_2 · 8 August 2006 at 12:11PM

I want to make a seedless blackberry jam, does anyone have a good recipe for this please?

Thanks guys

MIRRY_2 · 8 August 2006 at 12:38PM

Leonie, Im not the person to advise on this seeing Ive just made my first batch of blackberry jam an hour ago.

I just read up on it online and took some advice on here.

I boiled up 3 cups of blackberries and 1 1/2 cups of sugar and some lemon, I then boiled it for 12 mins stirring often. whilst this was happening I sterilised the jars in the oven for 30 mins (just hope it was hot enough) I did it on gas mark 2.5. Then I poured it into the jars whilst hot and covered it with a cut out of the plastic bag inside a corn flake box then put lids on.

I keep peeping thru the jar to see if it looks like its setting, I hope it does because Ive been told blackberry have there own natural pectin.

leonie_2 · 8 August 2006 at 1:03PM

Thank you!

I will do the same as you but im hoping its ok to just pop it through a sieve once the berries are 'slushy' as the kids wont eat jam with pips in. :mad:

By the way, arent you supposed to use the same amount of sugar to fruit? Yours sounds a lot healthier than mine as I use equal amounts.

thriftlady_2 · 8 August 2006 at 1:23PM

You colud try making blackberry jelly instead, that will be completely bit-free. My kids love it.

Check post number 30 here

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=239190&page=2

MIRRY_2 · 8 August 2006 at 5:51PM

i read online you can make no sugar jam, but I was concerned on the amount of sugar. Just checked my jam and its cooled now, its not as set as shop jam but what id call "half set". I could put it all back in a pan with diced cooking apples to make it set further.....but then again dont think Ill bother cos it tastes lovely.

thriftlady_2 · 8 August 2006 at 6:15PM

Jams are supposed to have lot of sugar,it's what makes them a preserve;)

otterspasm · 8 August 2006 at 8:28PM

Hi Guys,
Is it possible to freeze blackberries raw in the same way that you can raspberries?
Tess

PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING

blackberry picking

Comments

Categories

Get our FREE Weekly email full of deals & guides - and it’s spam-free