Blackberries

emiff6

Looby-lou - I would suggest for blackberry brandy you let the blackberries defrost first, so you can have a taste and see if they are still OK or have gone off. It would be a waste to shove them in the brandy and then discover later that the flavour is bad. For jam of course, you're going to heat them up before adding sugar, so you can taste them anyway. Another thought, I presume the blackberries were frozen raw, so you could always bring them up to a simmer for a few minutes, and then refreeze them cooked, when you've defrosted the freezer.
I generally simmer blackberries until soft, then rub them through a sieve and freeze the resulting puree, 'cos I hate the little pippy seeds. I freeze them in ice cube trays then tip them into a poly bag, and just take out a few cubes to put with apple etc for a pie or whatever I'm making. I make seedless jam this way too.

zippychick

Hi Looby

i've merged this with our main blackberry thread
thanks
Zip

Mrs_Beatson

I wonder if any of you wonderful people can help me.

Yesterday we went blackberry picking and by chance also found some wild apples. They are small and FAR too sour to just eat. Since peeling them would take me approx 10 years, I have done some t'internet research and it seems like making jelly from them is the way to go.

However, I have never tried making jam or jelly and would like to ask a couple of (perhaps too obvious) questions.

Firstly, what do you use jelly for? Can you use it like jam (in cakes/on toast) or is a more of an accompaniment to meat (like apple sauce with pork)?

Secondly which jelly bag (for straining) would you all recommend? I get the impression it should be quite large, and some of the ones Ive seen online seem a little small for the job.

Thirdly, I understand that you can make "cheese" from the leftover pulp, when making jelly. Having read the recipe, it actually seems like making jam (sieving the pulp and popping it back in the pan with sugar). Have any of you tried this?

All help is gratefully received, before I spend any money.

Thank you all in advance

Mrs B x

CandyB101_2

I treated myself to a 'thornless' blackberry bush (from Homebase £3 ish) a couple of years ago. It trails across 2 of my fence panels, and it's absolutely fantastic, it's swarming with blackberries, totally covered, I've been having loads for weeks now (and supplying many friends/family), have baked so many things with them .... highly recommend getting one ...... great for baking

Patchwork_Quilt

We have just planted a thornless blackberry. I'm hoping it will take over the bottom of the garden. Unfortunately, I'm addicted to blackberries but there have been two disasters on that front this year. Firstly, my allotment partner decided to trim our blackberry bush drastically. We have therefore lost half the crop. Secondly, the local bushes have been picked bare. This is not polite. The country rule is one for you, then leave one for the neighbours and one for the birds. The only solution is to grow our own! On a happier note, have just made blackberry vodka today - stew some blackberries in their juices very lightly, add an equal weight of sugar, half fill a sterilised bottle with this mixture and top up with vodka. Leave until Christmas. Cures anything if you drink enough of it.

raven83

hi i managed to pick some blackberrys today only got just over 50g worth, i would like some new ideas as what i can put them in pudding wise i have most things in and the obvious thing would be some sort of crumble but was wondering if anyone got any other inventive ideas as to what to put them in! cheers guys :beer:

sb88_2

You could stew them, my Nan did that with gooseberries, and then I mixed them in some natural yogurt and musli, it was delicious!

Or howabout making little tarts?

valk_scot

50g is only a couple of onces you know, or a small handful. You won't get far with that, you'll need to pad them out with something like apples.

kayl

Make bramble vodka or gin - delicious!
Put the bramles ina container, add the same volume of sugar, and then pour over the same volume of alcohol. Tuen the bottle every day for a few days, till the sugar has disappeared, then put away for 3 months. You then need to remove the berries, or else it becomes too bitter. Perfect as a liquour by Christmas

ariba10

We have quite a large amount in the freezer.

They will be used over the coming year, mainly mixed in any cooked apple recipe that we use.