This past week our home was turned into The Blackberry House. The blackberries have arrived like they never have before. We are bringing in so many these past few days. I have been busy transforming all of these delicious little gems into creations that my family is devouring faster than we can pick them. My fingers have been stained purple in fact!
I started out by making jam. Of course I had to make jam; sweet, delicious, and black as night blackberry jam. I love to give jars of homemade jam away as gifts during the holidays so the more jam I can get made the better.
Next I used up 4 cups to make a blackberry crisp. Crisps are just as good if not better than pie when they have vanilla ice cream on top. I love to make fruit crisps when the fruits are in season and I made the blackberry crisp the same way I make any fruit crisp. I will include the recipe at the bottom of this post.
Then the lady of The Blackberry House pumped out the greatest creation of all; insanely purple, homemade, blackberry ice cream. Talk about a decadent summer dessert that was berry good! I think I have a new favorite ice cream flavor! This was by far the hardest berry creation yet but it may also be the one that got the biggest raves.
I love my wild blackberry bramble in the far corner of our yard. I do no more to it than keep it from taking over the whole property and yet it rewards us with such an amazing gift each summer. We had a blisteringly hot heat wave last week (our deck thermometer read 115°F on Friday!) One evening I stepped out onto the deck when the temperatures were beginning to cool off a little and I was hit by the smell of blackberries in the air. I was amazed that I could actually smell the blackberries ripe and sweet across the yard. It smelt so wonderful. The way a perfect summer evening in the Pacific Northwest should smell.
Fruit Crisp
- 4 cups fruit
- 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup oatmeal
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/3 cup softened butter
Place fruit in a greased 8×8 inch pan. Mix remaining ingredients and sprinkle over fruit. Bake at 375°F for about 30 minutes or until topping is nice and golden and fruit is soft. Top with ice cream and enjoy!
{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
Oh my, oh my, oh my!!! It looks so delicious. EVERYTHING! I love blackberries, well berries of any kind but especially blackberries. There are some growing on our neighbor’s property they’re mixed in with raspberries, and she always lets us pick any we want, but it’s hard to fight the mosquitos to get at them and they don’t look as juicy as yours.
Hi Jane Marie!
For whatever reason this year the blackberries are doing so well. I have never gotten so many before. We are enjoying them! -Cindy
Blackberries are so delicious. You are so lucky to get such a big harvest that you can treat your family to all those wonderful concoctions. The Blackberry Crisp & Ice cream look absolutely fantastic. Thanks for the recipe.
Your welcome PGL! The recipe is really good with apples of course and when I make it with them I add some cinnamon to the oatmeal/flour mix.
There are even more blackberries ready to be picked and I should get out there here soon before a big ole storm rolls in and I can’t. -Cindy
That sounds yummy and looks pretty easy to make. Thanks
Deb
Hi Deb, It’s way easy and super yummy too!
-Cindy
Wow, that’s a whole lot of blackberries. We have 3 smallish producing bushes with a bunch more that don’t produce yet. Do you mulch them or anything or do they just grow unattended? We don’t have near the harvest that you’ve had and the kids have been eating them right off the bush, so I haven’t had enough to make anything yet. I sure hope to soon though!
Hi Cinj- The only thing we ever do to them is hack them back. They would take over the yard if we didn’t. Actually I really need to go out there and clear some more out as I noticed while picking some berries the other day that it is trying to spread some more. I read somewhere that the blackberries out in the Northwest can spread 10 feet in one year! This one that bush that we have is now three times the size it was when we moved into this house 2 1/2 years ago. So now I am really keeping an eye on it as it is trying to turn into a bramble monster.
I hope you get a good harvest too! They are so yummy. My toddler discovered them the other day and everytime I take her outside she runs to the blackberries and starts snacking away! -Cindy
This is just exactly what I’d expect of you—out there getting black and red fingers of course. I will try your recipe. I only need to go get some berries.
Anna, the recipe is good with any fruit really in fact I think I might try making it with the peaches that are now coming into season up here. YUM! -Cindy
Blackberries are in huge supply at my home as well. Last week I posted my Blackberry Cobbler and Blackberry Jam recipes on my Recipe site.
Your’s look wonderful as well!
Hi Mrs. Greenhands- I will have to check out your cobbler recipe as well as your jam recipe and compare it to the one I used. I have been thinking I want to try a lower sugar jam recipe and see how it turns out. Thanks for the compliment! -Cindy
I grew up with fresh blackberry cobbler my great-grandmother made. We had blackberries out in the garden, and I recall how they stained my hands and mouth when I’d gobble them up outside. Your photo of them just makes my mouth water!
Brenda
Hi
My daughter keeps getting all stained up whenever I take her outside. She goes straight for the bush and seems to know not to pick the unripe ones. It is very cute to see her gobbling them up! I like thinking about my children having fond memories when they grow up remembering our house with the wild blackberry bush. -Cindy
Brenda, the berries did pose nicely for their picture didn’t they!
Loved all the blackberry photos, very evocative of my own blackberry-gathering times. Maybe that means I should go look for a few good bushes…
I think crisps and crumbles are some of the best ways to eat any fruit, blackberries high on the list. The ice cream is beautiful! I’d love to try it–any recipe suggestions?
Hi Pamona, I love crips too! I got the ice cream recipe out of a book titled Prairie Home Cooking by Judith Fertig. It turned out so good! The hardest part was having to strain out all the seeds before adding everything to the ice cream maker. -Cindy
Oh my, all of that looks so good. I can make your crisp gluten free and then top it with soy ice cream. It will still be wonderful. Blackberries ripen here in late June, but I always look forward to them. Also, your jam jars are precious.~~Dee
Thank you Dee!
I have been thinking about freezing some berries for eating up during the winter. I need to make some more jam as my eldest son will eat them all himself if I turn my back! -Cindy