Berry good
First published in edition 207 of The Northumbrian, Aug/Sept 2025
Add the season's blackberries and cherries to other fruits in these gorgeous summer puddings
Summer Pudding
Ingredients
900g mixed soft fruit, either fresh or frozen or a combination
150g caster sugar
½ loaf white bread
Method
Select any soft fruits available, including in-season blackberries and cherries, and pick over. If any are frozen, thaw them thoroughly. Place with the sugar in a thick-bottomed pan over a gentle heat. Stir occasionally until the fruit is tender and the juice has run. Set aside to cool and add more sugar if needed.
Remove crusts from the bread and line the bottom of a soufflé dish or 900ml pudding basin, cutting the bread to fit neatly together. Cut more slices in fingers to fit closely, leaving no gaps. Half fill with fruit, cover with sliced bread, add remaining fruit and cover closely with more bread.
Spoon over the remaining juice to soak the bread and just fill the dish. Reserve any surplus juice.
Fit a small plate into the top of the dish, put on a 1kg weight and chill overnight.
To serve, place a serving dish on top of the basin and invert both quickly. Carefully lift off the basin (some of the juice will run onto the serving plate).Serve with cream.
Blackberry Pie
Ingredients
400g fresh blackberries
125g sugar
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest
¼ tsp almond extract
340g readymade shortcrust pastry
142g tub soured cream
1 small egg, beaten, to glaze
Sugar to glaze
Method
Place the blackberries, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and almond extract in a large mixing bowl. Very gently stir to coat the berries in the lemon and sugar and place in the fridge until you're ready to fill the pie.
Take ¾ of the pastry, roll it out on a lightly floured surface and use it to line a 20cm flan ring. Prick the base and sides with a fork, brush with a little beaten egg, and chill in the fridge for 10 mins.
Remove the pastry and berries from the fridge. Spread the pastry base with soured cream and arrange the berries evenly over the top.
Preheat the oven to 220C/Gas 7. Roll out the rest of the pastry, cut it into strips and use them to make a lattice design on top of the pie. Brush the strips with beaten egg and sprinkle with sugar to glaze.
Place in the oven and bake for 15 mins, then reduce heat to 180C/Gas 4 and bake for 15 mins more until golden. Serve hot or cold with cream or vanilla ice cream.
Blackberry & Blueberry Clafoutis
Ingredients
200g blackberries
200g blueberries
50g ground almonds
2 tbsp plain flour
100g golden caster sugar
2 whole eggs
2 egg yolks
250ml double cream
Finely grated
Zest of 1 lemon
Method
Wash and pick over the blackberries and blueberries and spread out and leave to dry on a clean towel. Heat oven to 190C/Gas 5. Grease a 23cm flan dish (not loose-bottomed) and arrange the berries in it. Mix the rest of the ingredients together in a mixer or with a whisk until smooth, pour over the fruit and bake for 20-25 mins until golden. Serve warm.