When the sun shines and everyone is looking for easy summer food, what could be easier and more delicious, than berry recipes which make the most of summer fruit. Berries are abundant across British and Irish food; from the earliest spring strawberries, through to autumnal sloes it a pure symphony of colour, taste and texture. Most berries preserve well, either as a whole fruit or in compotes, jams, jellies or preserved in vinegars or alcohol, so summer sunshine is available throughout the year. This collection of berry recipes will be updated throughout the season, please keep checking back.
Berry Sorbet - Berry Sorbet Recipe
Make the most of delicious summer berries with a super, simple and delicious Berry Sorbet. The Berry Sorbet Recipe uses liquid glucose, available from supermarkets or a pharmacy, the liquid glucose helps prevent the sorbet from freezing into a hard, solid mass.
Use any berry -blackberry, strawberry, raspberry or summer currants, blackcurrants are intense in flavor and make a particularly good sorbet. The choice is yours.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
8 oz/225g fine or caster sugar
7fl oz/200ml boiling water
1lb 10oz/750g berries or currants
2 tsp liquid glucose
juice 1 lemon
Preparation:
Place the sugar into a large saucepan, pour the boiling water over and stir until the sugar has dissolved.
Add the fruit and glucose syrup and poach over a gentle heat for 5 minutes.
Pour the contents of the pan into a food processor and blitz, then pass the liquid through a fine sieve rubbing with the back of a spoon to push the fruit pulp through but remove any skin or pips. Add the lemon juice.
Pour the fruit into a shallow freezer container and freeze. You will need to beat the mixture in the container three or four times as it freezes solid. Once frozen, cover and keep in the freezer until required. Remove the sorbet from the freezer for 10 minutes before serving.
Gooseberry Recipes - Gooseberry Fool Recipe
Fat, hairy, tart green gooseberries are transformed into sweetness and light in a Gooseberry Fool recipe. Cooked with a little sugar then stirred into thick, creamy custard and whipped cream delicious.
This recipe for Gooseberry Fool is so quick and easy, it is no wonder it is a favourite summer dessert.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Yield: 4 Servings
Ingredients:
1 quantity of gooseberry compote
10 ½ oz/300g custard sauce or ready made custard
1 cup/ 220ml whipping cream, whipped to soft peaks
Preparation:
Put the gooseberry compote into a large bowl
Add the custard and stir gently. Do not over stir.
Fold the whipped cream into the gooseberry and custard mix. Again do not over stir, there should be pockets of each ingredient, not a smooth blend.
Divide between 4 glasses and serve.
Jelly - Strawberry Jelly Recipe
Everyone loves jelly as a summer dessert, especially a fresh strawberry jelly and with this strawberry jelly recipe you can see how easy it is to make.
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients:
1 cup/ 200g fine/caster sugar
1 pint/ 600ml water
1 lb/500g fresh strawberries, washed and hull removed
¼ oz/ 11g powdered gelatin
Preparation:
Method To make the jelly, place the sugar and water in a large saucepan and bring to the boil. Boil for five minutes then leave to cool.
Meanwhile take 4 or 5 of the fresh strawberries and keep to one side.
Pulp the remaining strawberries with a hand blender. Place the strawberry pulp into a large basin and pour over the sugar and water syrup. Cover with a clean cloth and leave to infuse for thirty minutes.
Once cool, pass the mixture through a fine sieve to remove any of the strawberry pulp and seeds. Keep to one side.
Place ¼ cup of cold water into a small dish, sprinkle the powdered gelatin into the water and leave untouched for five minutes.
Heat one cup of the strawberry and sugar syrup in a small saucepan. Add the powdered gelatin and the water, simmer very gently (do not allow to boil) until the gelatin has completely dissolved. Stir the dissolved gelatin into the strawberry liquid.
Fill a 1½ pint jelly mould with the strawberry liquid. Place into the refrigerator and leave to set.
To Serve: Decorate with the remaining strawberries and serve with fresh cream, ice cream or as desired.
English Summer Pudding - Summer Pudding Recipe
When there is an abundance of summer berry fruits one of the best ways of serving them is in an English Summer Pudding. A Summer Pudding Recipe is quick, easy and so delicious; all the tastes of summer in one dish.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
2 tbsp water
5oz / 150g sugar
1lb/450g washed, mixed summer fruits as available - see note below
4 - 6oz/100 -150g thin sliced white bread, crusts removed
Whipped cream or custard sauce
Preparation:
Note
Soft summer fruits suitable for Summer Pudding must have a rich, strong, color and flavor. Great berries to use include raspberries, strawberries, red and blackcurrants, damsons and blackberries. Stir the water and sugar together and bring to a gentle boil. Add the berries and fruits and stew very gently until softened but still retain their shape.
Line a 1½ pint pudding basin with the bread slices ensuring there are no gaps. Fill with the stewed fruits and cover the top with more bread slices.
Place a saucer with a weight on top (a can of tomatoes or beans is ideal) and leave overnight in a cool place.
The next day, before serving, turn the pudding out onto a plate and serve with the whipped cream or custard sauce.
more detail see the following web site:
http://britishfood.about.com/od/introtobritishfood/tp/Easy-Summer-Food-Berry-Recipes.htm?nl=1
