BLACKBERRIES

New Zealand Listener, Volume 16, Issue 407, 11 April 1947, Page 22

BLACKBERRIES

O most people, I suppose, the blackberry season means first a picnic and then jam-mak-ing, with a few pies and puddings thrown in for good measure. The berries are fairly expensive in the cities; but generally there are friends in the ceuntry who will send some. Blackberries and mushrooms are alike in that respect-free to country people, When picking for jam, or jelly, be sure to include a few half-ripe ones, as they help in the setting. Blackberry Cobbler (sent by "Old Cook") Cook 3 cups of blackberries in 1 cup of water, juice of 1 lemon, and sugar. When cold, put into a pie-dish, sprinkle with sugar and flour (about 2 tablespoons ofeach), and a dab or two of butter. Then cover with a good sheet of short pastry, or with crushed biscuits, or sponge cake crumbs; dab with a little more butter, and cook in a good oven for about half an hour, Blackberry and Apple Jam (seedless) Any quantity of blackberries, some red ones among them, and about one fourth the weight of apples. Simmer the berries to a pulp with just sufficient water to prevent burning at the start. Strain through muslin bag. Cut up the apples roughly, including peels and cores, and boil to a pulp. Strain through colander. Mix the two strainings and to every pint of juice add %lb. of sugar. Stir until dissolved. Boil until it sets when tested. Blackberry Jam (plain) Simmer the washed berries till quite soft with just sufficient water to prevent burning at ghe start, Add %lb. sugar to each pound of fruit, Stir till thoroughly dissolved. Then boil till it jells. If wanted with more jelly, add more water at the start, boil till soft, and add sugar in the proportion of cup for cup. If wanted seedless, strain before adding sugar. Settee Crust (with butter) for Blackberry Pie | One egg, pinch salt, loz. butter, 1 breakfast cup flour, 1 teacup or less of sugar, 3 tablespoons milk (or more), vanilla if liked. Beat egg and sugar; melt butter with milk and add. Sift in flour, ete, Pour over hot fruit. Hot oven, about 20 mins. Sponge Crust (without butter) for Blackberry Pie ~ Beat an egg well, add 12 cup sugar, beat well. Add 1 cup flour, pinch. salt, and 1 teaspoon baking powder, Enough milk to make a thin batter. Pour on hot fruit. Hot oven about 20 mins. Blackberry and Apple Jelly It is better to make up blackberry jelly in comparatively small lots, as it sets better. The juice of one or two lemons added during the last quick boil helps it to set, and gives you a lovely flavour. 6lbs. blackberries; 2lbs, apples; allow one cup sugar to each cup of juice. Choo uv the apples. including

skins and cores, and place in a preserving pan with the blackberries and water to cover. Cook until soft. Strain through jelly bag. Measure juice and bring tb the boil, stir in sugar gradually, and when you are sure that the sugar is thoroughly dissolved, boil fast till a little jellies when tested on a saucer-about half to % of an hour. Blackberry Surprise Stew enough blackberries to almost fill a piedish, If they are the small, seedy kind, it is nicer to pass them through a sieve after they are cooked. Cream together 2oz. butter, and 2oz. sugar. Add 4oz. flour and 1% teaspoon baking powder. Mix well together, and sprinkle evenly over the top of the hot fruit and bake to a nice light brown, Serve with cream or custard. Blackberry and Plum Jam Five pounds of blackberries; 2Ibs. plums; 1 pint water; 5lbs. sugar. Stew a in water for a few minutes; add lackberries and boil together about 15 minutes. Stir occasionally. Heat sugar,. stir in till dissolved, and boil about 1% hours, or till it will set. Add a small teaspoon citric or tartaric acid 10 minutes before taking up. Sour apples may be used instead of plums. ;