Blackberry Sorbet

Alas, Summer is nearing it's end. The last shriveled raspberries are hanging on the bush, the days are getting shorter and the days progressively colder. On the bright side the season for apples, pears and blackberries is starting. I was having a walk near where we live and in the hedgerow saw a bush stuffed to the brim with blackberries so I ran back grabbed a bowl and picked as many as I could. In the end I had a lot. So I thought I'd turn 'em into a nice sorbet. If you do by any chance have any Autumn raspberries or loganberries sling them in as well. Just make sure if you collect them from a road side you thoroughly wash them.

Serves

2.2 lb or 1 kg of blackberries

1 1/3 cups or 300 ml water

1 1/2 cups or 300g granulated sugar

lemon juice to taste

1. Wash the blackberries thoroughly then whizz them up in a blender. Now either place them in a juicer/ fruit coulis maker or press them through a fine sieve to remove the pips. Put the sugar and water in a saucepan and heat until the sugar has dissolved.

2. Slowly pour the syrup and the coulis into a different bowl testing for the right consistency when half the mixture is used. (You can test for the write consistency by placing a clean egg into the mixture. If just under a quarter of it is showing it's fine. If more is showing add more syrup if less add more coulis.) Now add the lemon juice to taste and churn in an ice cream maker.

Roast Plum Sorbet

This is a really good recipe, (although it's more of an idea really), for using up plums if you have a glut of them. It's rather fragrant and nicely tart and has a wonderful pastel pink colour.

Serves 4-5

1/2 cup or 100g cane sugar

4.4 lb or 2kg red and yellow plums

1. Fit the plums in a roasting tin so they sit snugly and sprinkle them with the sugar.

2. Put them under the grill until they're bubbling and slightly charred on top.

3. Now mash them lightly with a potato masher and pour off the juice into a pan. Place the pulp in a juicer/coulis maker or force through a sieve to remove the pips and skin.

4. Reduce the juice by half and mix with the puree. At this point add any extra sugar if you think it needs it and churn in an ice cream.