Easy Cocoa Brownies with Tayberries

I am not joking when I write that I have made cocoa and chocolate brownies (minus the fruit topping) at least four times this month.  

Three times in one week, that I had to go out and get more fairtrade cocoa brownies.  First lot of brownies were for us, second for family, third time for friends and more recently for  some work colleagues.

One of my cute nieces and she is rather cute describes these as lush, and I have to concur, these were lush and proper squidgy.  She was even more delighted that her brownies were not topped with fruit, unlike these that are topped with luscious, fat juicy tayberries.    

I do like tayberries, but don't come across them that often.  In fact the last time I had a tayberry was when I lived in Scotland, not long followed by Karaka Blackberry. These tayberries come from a little place called the Fruit Machine, though it does sell vegetables too.  

Fellow blogger who likes to call herself Matron at Down on The Allotment describes Tayberry as a cross between a blackberry and a raspberry. The fruit topping is not necessary on these Cocoa Chocolate Brownies, but I like to get fruit in my diet somehow.  

I am sharing these with Tin and Thyme for We Should Cocoa and Jibber Jabber for Love Cake.  
Other Cocoa and Chocolate Brownie Recipes on the Blog
Raspberry Brownies
Red Dragon Chili Brownies
Strawberry Cream Cheese Brownies
Sweet Potato and Cranberry Brownies
Vegan Hot Chocolate Marshmallow Brownies

Last of the Blackberries for Blackberry Cake

Last of the blackberries...eh

Brambles aka Blackberries

Unlike my last Strawberry and Blackberry contribution that was beautiful to the eyes, I have to admit that Blackberry cake is not much of a looker, but it tastes pretty good, especially draped with double cream, or even ice-cream when hot out of the oven.

Fresh Strawberry and Blackberry on Raw Cinnamon Almond Crust

I was conversing with a blogger friend some time last week and we both agreed that it was the first time that we had seen both locally grown strawberries and blackberries side by side.

It has been a strange summer, not that I am moaning it has been a fabulous change from the dreary persistent rain that has overshadowed me since I moved back to Wales.  So its been nice to see the sun still shining, though the early mornings and evenings are beginning to get a bit nippy on the cheeks.

Eating Apple and Blackberry Flapjacks

BBrrrr woke up to a sheet of snow this morning.  I don't think I will be venturing far.

Other than some golden juicy sultanas, I am all out of dried fruit.  So these weekend flapjacks had to be made with frozen blackberries from my freezer, that were foraged from somewhere or other on one of our country road drives.  I also had some blueberries harvested from the garden, but they are for next time I make flapjacks.  

I've had a number of comments on my blog, namely from American readers regarding flapjacks.  You see in the US flapjacks are pancakes.  Therefore I guess I should make it clear what I mean by flapjacks on my blog.    British flapjacks are similar to Breakfast Bars, Muesli Bars or even Granola Bars.  They are not exactly a biscuit or a cake, but a chewy bar usually made with oats and golden syrup.  I am also sharing this with Laura who is hosting the Penny Worthy Project.

Apple and Blackberry Flapjacks
Ingredients
Makes about 8
120g butter
4 tablespoons maple syrup or runny honey
75g golden caster sugar
240g rolled oats
1 eating apple, grated
Handful of blackberries(fresh or frozen).
Method
Preheat oven to gas mark 6.  Line a small baking tray with greaseproof paper.  In a large saucepan, melt the butter, syrup (or honey) and sugar until it all melts.  Take of the heat, then stir in the oats and fruit evenly.  Using a spatula, carefully turn out into the baking tray and press down.  Place the tray in the oven for 20 – 25 minutes or until the sides are golden.  Remove from the oven and slice immediately.  Leave them in the tin, when completely cold, slice again and remove from the baking tray. 

Foraging Eyes

Those of you who read my blog regularly and know me of sorts, will know that I am keen novice forager.  Last year I went stinging nettle crazy, this year wild garlic mad.  Yet, I have so much to learn.  I would so dearly love to one day spend a weekend (or even a week) with a professional forager learning not just about edible wild weeds on the land, but also those that grow on the beach and sea such as seaweed.  Ah maybe one day that opportunity will come my way.

Back to my reality, sadly I have not been able to forage as much as I would like; as circumstances in my life are making me hesitant.  For a start, D doesn't want us to be transporting excess and fragile glass jars full of edible delights for when we eventually move down to Wales.  The greedy woman in me would happily ignore him, but the fact is that we also have little money to buy glass jars, and there are only so much glass jar and bottle recycling a couple can do.  So I reserve these foraging pleasures for next year.  Instead I thought I'd share with you some of my foraging forays, as well as free wild food I've been seeing around me for easy picking.

A couple of years ago,  I found elder flowers and made elderflower champagne, sadly this year I have watched the elderflowers  and the elderberries shrink before my eyes.

I saw these blackberries in North Wales, the brambles I've stumbled upon in Scotland, including those growing in my garden have been a disappointment.  They are either shrivelled or virtually non existent due to the harsh constant rain hitting them.  So it looks like no Blackberry Jam or Apple and Blackberry Crumble for me this year.

I had the opportunity to harvest dog rose and rose hips for rosehip jelly and rosehip syrup, but like I said I hardly have any jars, so sadly I will just have to watch them turn to mush. 

I think this is hawthorn berries; or is it rowan berry?  Anyway, I see both of them hanging like Christmas tree decorations - but have to walk on by.

 This excited me the most - its sea buckthorn.   

I had my first ever buckthorn shot last year - its sure is zingy and powerful in the mouth.

Its not all bad though, I found some sloe berries.  This time a lot more than my find last year that made a very weak sloe gin.  Not this time. The sloe berries are tucked in my parents freezer in Wales, awaiting for me to move there and then transform them into sloe gin. 

I mentioned in an earlier post, that the apple tree in my garden this year has been battered by the cruel wind and rain.  There are zero apples in the tree that when the punky waxwings and fairfield arrive, they won't hang around for long and fly on by.  Fortunately its not been that bad for me.  Although I didn't get any home grown apples for jam, I did forage for some mis-shapen cooking apples.  These have already greedily been consumed in the form of Apple Cider Cake (which I have yet to share), as well as Cinnamon Apple Shortcakes.

And finally I cannot forget those eating apples from my fathers allotment plot; and pears from my mothers garden.  Talking of pears...I have seen some growing not that far from where we presently live, but I don't think I will get to them - chances are the wind will have knocked them down before I get a chance to forage for some on my return. 

More apples for jam

This is the easiest Apple and Blackberry jam recipe I know and one I recommend you to try one-day. The original recipe does use jam sugar. Jam sugar has the benefit of having added pectin which ensures a good set pretty quickly, but I decided to use what I had at home which was granulated sugar. It just took a little longer to reach the setting point. That was okay with me, I wasn't in any hurry to go anywhere.

I'm looking forward to eating this rather burgundy jam, pips and all. I know some people don’t like the pips from fruit because they get stuck between your teeth, but I rather like it as its coated with sweetness. Also it makes me feel like I’m actually eating the real fruit.
Apple and Blackberry Jam
Makes about 6 x 245ml jars
Ingredients
500g blackberries
500g cooking apples, peeled, cored and chopped
Juice of 1 lemon
1kg granulated sugar
Method
Put the blackberries and apples into a large pan with the lemon juice and 100ml water. Place over a medium heat and simmer gently for 10-15 minutes, until tender and reduced.
Pop a couple of saucers into the freezer to chill. Add the sugar to the pan and cook, stirring to dissolve. Bring to the boil and then allow to simmer rapidly until it reached the desired consistency. Remove from the heat.
Put a teaspoonful of jam onto a chilled saucer for 1 minute. Drag your finger lightly over the jam. If it wrinkles, it has reached setting point; if it doesn't, boil for few more minutes and test again with another chilled saucer. You just need to be a little patient. Original recipe can be found here.

Autumnal Apple and Blackberry Scones

Last week, it was National Cupcake Week here in the UK. These fashionable cakes have started off a trend in some parts of England, most notably in parts of London, The cupcake has yet to make its mark in Scotland in the same way. It got me thinking, obviously they hail from the USA, but how on earth did they have become so popular here. Many food writers have pointed the finger to a scene in Sex and the City, others to the opening of numerous American bakeries, all specializing in cupcake galore with their windows draped with ribbons, lace and floral designs; and the cupcakes piled mountain high on glass stands or antiquey-style three layer stands giving your eyes an opportunity to feast and be dazzled by vivid shades of shocking pink, verdant green and sungold yellow. The frosting and garnishing delights the eys too: all glittery and glitzy teasing your taste buds into trying the indulgent creamy topping. Then you have the bookshops stacked with various cupcake books, so that you can flick through the pages and indulge even further. I remember reading somewhere that last year Google had revealed that 'cupcakes' was one of the fastest-rising recipe search in the UK. Despite its popularity though, there is still some debate on U.K shores whether the cupcake is really a fairy cake just larger in size and topping, but I don’t want to get into that now.

I think I ought to share that although I own this book I’m not really a cupcake girl. In fact, I don’t think my blog has ever featured a cupcake, plenty of its dumpier sister - the muffin (which I adore by the way), but no cupcakes. So with it being National Cupcake last week, did I decide to participate? No sorry to disappoint, I didn’t because I was not in the mood for something that sweet. However I was in the mood to do some baking. It occurred to me to make some scones, a staple found in most British bakeries. Unfortunately because scones are rather plain and humble compared to the fashionista diva cupcake, they are somewhat beginning to fall out of favour with the British public. But not with me, a scone is just what I fancied: delicate, crumbly and light.

For those of you who may not be familiar with scones, scones are a small round cake made of raised dough, which may be sweet or savoury. Originating in Scotland, it is generally soft and light inside with a light brown crust. Scones can be eaten at breakfast or for tea. Scones were traditionally cooked on a griddle, a thick flat iron with a handle, placed on a fire or on top of the stove, they are now more often cooked in the oven.
Once I started putting the ingredients together, my eyes fell on the small bowl of ripe blackberries I had picked from the garden and some of those windfall apples. Although my original intention was to make some plain scones, this is what I ended up with: Autumnal apple and blackberry scones. Of course me being me with my cookie cutters, I just had to cut them out in the shape of an 'apple' too. These scones turned out rather good, even if I don’t say so myself. In fact I am going to boast and say that I think that even Delia Smith and Mrs Beeton would be proud of me.

The best way to eat a scone is fresh from the oven, not immediately though, give it about 30 minutes to cool down, then cut open slather generously with good butter and enjoy with a cup of Tea. If you want to indulge further, how about adding some whipped cream, maybe some hedgerow jam too.  Updated: See fellow blogger The Ordinary Cooks variation of these scones.  They look delightful.

Apple and Blackberry Scones

Makes 6

Ingredients

225g self-raising flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

55g butter

30g caster sugar

100ml - 150ml milk

1 apple, grated

50 - 60g blackberries (I used fresh, but would recommend frozen)

1 egg, beaten (optional)

Method

Sift the flour with the salt into a large bowl. Rub the butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in sugar and grated apple. Make a deep well in the flour, pour in the milk slowly, you may not need to use it all and mix to a soft, spongy dough with a knife. Fold in the blackberries very gently as they will break and bleed. On a floured surface, knead the dough very lightly until it is just smooth. Roll out to about 1 inch thick and stamp into rounds with a small pastry cutter. Gather the scraps together and cut into more scones. Brush the scones with beaten egg if using for a glossy crust or brush with milk, then sprinkle with flour. Bake the scones at the top of the oven gas mark 5 for 15-20 minutes, or until well risen and brown. Leave to cool on a wire rack, or serve hot from the oven.

Versatile Guajillo Chile and Blackberry Syrup

Well I've eaten my fair share of sweet things recently, so didn't want to make another cake. So the question was what else could I do with the blackberries I had picked at my friends place, that were beginning to soften in the fridge. As always I flicked though my cookbooks, saw many recipes for cakes galore and other sweet things such as ice-cream and sorbets. As my teeth are a little sensitive at the moment, plus I've lost a filling - iced things were not an option either.
Then I went on the world wide web and did a search for a blackberry recipe, other than cake. I came across many, but the one that caught my attention was Heidi Swanson's recipe for Chile Blackberry Syrup. I remembered littleblackfox had sent me a couple of big guajillo chiles in the post a couple of months ago. In fact I have been rather spoiled this year, fellow blogger Ginny of Modern Homestead sent me this fabulous industrial mosaic hand crafted dragonfly (see side bar) for my garden. As it rains so bad in the West of Scotland; and is just too pretty it is hanging in my hallway rather than in the garden. I want to say a special heartfelt Thank you to them both for the kindness, affection and generosity they have both shown towards me. Please do take time to visit there blogs, you will also see that they have a keen sense of humour.

So with the two guajillo chiles described by littleblackfox as 'sweet, medium heat with a cherry flavour. Lovely with rice and in sauce'. I decided on making this syrup. It was a rather messy affair in the kitchen with lots of kitchen equipment being used, but also a little wiping down and mopping up was necessary. But the final resulting syrup was rather warming. The syrup certainly had a good spice kick.

Just in case you are wondering what on earth would I do with a spicy syrup, well it is actually very versatile. You can swirl it into yogurt, porridge, drizzled over waffles, pancakes and crepes and even drizzled over goat cheese salad. In fact the taste of this spiced sweet syrup reminded me of Moosewood's raspberry chipotle sauce that was served with scrambled tofu, so I can imagine it drizzled over savoury dishes too.

Guajillo Chile Blackberry Syrup
Makes 2 x 300g jars
Ingredients
2 dried guajillo peppers
170g dark Muscovado sugar or dark brown sugar
200 g organic sugar
355 ml water
Juice from 1 lemon
100g blackberries
Method
Trim the stems from the dried chiles. Tear or snip the chiles with scissors or a knife into pieces and drop with seeds into a medium saucepan. Stir in the sugars, water, and lemon juice, and bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. Boil, stirring regularly, until the mixture has reduced to 475 ml, roughly 20 - 30 minutes.
In the meantime, puree the blackberries either with a hand blender in a small bowl or a blender. Force the berries through a fine-mesh strainer, and discard the seeds. Set the berry puree aside. Once the chile mixture has reduced, remove from heat, and puree it until smooth. Strain through a sieve into a heat-proof bowl. Press on the remaining solids in the strainer to squeeze out any syrup, and discard the remaining solids.
Whisk the berries into the chile syrup and set aside to cool. Place in a jar, or smaller jars, and refrigerate. The syrup keeps covered, and chilled for a few weeks. Adapted very slightly from Heidi Swanson's superb website 101 cookbooks, who in turn adapted the recipe from the September 2007 edition of Gourmet Magazine. Isn't it wonderful how recipes change from one cook to another?!