Brambly Blog

Hey everyone. It’s the time of year when the hedgerows are bursting with brambles (aka blackberries) and us bramblers (namely my BFF Euan and myself) are to be found with purple fingers and tell tale purple mouths! It’s good fun going hunting for brambles and seeing how many you can get past your mouth and into your tub. In this latest brambly blog I tell you some wonderful bramble facts as well as sharing a lovely recipe which uses them up (along with a few apples from my garden), yum!

We're going on a bramble hunt, we're gonna find a big one!

Brambling with my pal Euan

Did you know…

Top tips for brambling:

Brambles are a great fruit for making jams and desserts too. Here is a yummy recipe I helped my Mummy make…
Sampling the crop as we go!

Sampling the crop as we go!

Bramble and Apple Pie

You will need:
For the shortcrust pastry:

For the filling:

To make:
To make the pastry:
1. Use your fingers to rub the cold butter, flour and icing sugar together.
2. Add the beaten egg and 1/2 tablespoon water and use your fingers to form the dough into a ball.
3. Cover with cling film and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
4. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees C. Lightly grease a 23cm/9 inch pie dish.
5. Slice the dough in half and roll out the bottom of the pie on a lightly floured surface. Try not to overwork the pastry – it doesn’t matter if it doesn’t look perfect.
 

For the filling:
1. Soften the brambles and the apples in a pan over a low heat.
2. Add the sugar.
3. Pour onto the pastry case.
4. Roll out the second half of the pastry on a lightly floured surface and place on top of the fruit. Cut away any excess pastry and crimp the edges with your thumb to seal.
5. Brush all over the top with lightly beaten egg or some milk. Prick a few holes over the surface and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown.
We also made some yummy jam with some of our brambles which I will tell you how to make really soon…
Lulu xx