Blackberry Picking Recipes
Blackberry picking is literally LIFE at the end of the Summer, and we do love to pick LOADS.
But what can you do with them if you hate pie or crumble (like I do…. sorry!)
And what walks can you do to find them?!
Blackberry picking season is great right?!
I genuinely think that this is an ESSENTIAL part of childhood! Purple stained fingers and tongues, battles between who got the biggest, or the tastiest! Yes, I LOVE blackberry season, and it’s rare that we miss out (even if we’ve pushed the limit of the season a little too far…) It’s an incredible way for kids to easily connect with nature by foraging for what is probably the easiest thing to identify in a world where skills like this are becoming less and less common.
But what can you do with those beautiful berries?
Well here are a few ideas!
Firstly, some blackberry stuff to know…
Foraging is fun, but it does come with responsibility. So how can you pick blackberries without causing any damage or harm?
Do not forage in SSSIs or National Nature Reserves. These habitats are protected by law and what grows within should be left untouched, to protect the delicate ecosystems that are the very reason that the places are protected in the first place. A quick search should be able to easily tell you whether you are headed for either of these. If on private land, seek permission from the land owner.
Don’t take the lot! Only forage in places where the blackberries are plentiful, they don’t just feed us, but birds, insects and animals too.
Stick to paths and avoid trampling other species of plant.
Before you begin…
Wash those blackberries! They provide a welcome home to plenty of creepy crawlies and to be honest, I’d rather not bite into a bug.
A soak in white wine vinegar solution can help coax them out of the nooks and crannies!
Then rinse again.
Blackberry Ripple Ice Cream
Take 1 small pot of whipping cream, 1 small can of condensed milk, a couple of drops of vanilla essence, and whip them together until they’re a thick consistency.
Wash your big pile of blackberries thoroughly and then heat them with a tablespoon of water and a couple of tablespoons of sugar. Make sure the sugar is dissolved and the blackberries are a bit mushy. It’ll take five minutes or so.
Push the blackberries through a sieve and pour the syrupy juice into the ice cream. Swirl it round to make blackberry ripples through the cream!
Pour it into a container and freeze!
Blackberry Vodka (one for the grown ups!)
Get your blackberries washed and shove them in a medium sized airtight jar (we use a Kilner).
Dependant on how many blackberries you have, pour over vodka (about 3/4-1 bottle to a 3-4 large handfuls of blackberries)
Add a few heaped tablespoons of sugar (dependant on taste, but you’ll need at least a few to take the edge of the sharp blackberries)
Shake, shake, shake until the sugar is dissolved. It’ll take a while, good arm workout!
Leave them in the jar for 4-6 weeks to infuse, turning them regularly. Keep them in a dark, cool place, away from sunlight.
Enjoy! You can also use the boozy blackberries with some soft whipped cream and some crumbled meringue for a boozy Blackberry style Eton Mess!
Picking Blackberries at Ilkey Moor.
Homemade blackberry ripple ice cream
Want the best places to pick blackberries in and around the Yorkshire Dales?
We’ve written a blog all about it!
We’ve picked a lot of blackberries, and we’ve walked a lot of walks! So if you want to find out more places to pick, like Brimham Rocks, Ilkley Moor and maybe even some epic waterfall spots too….
Then head over to our blog all about the blackberries!
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