blackberry harvest - the results

Earlier this month I wrote about the plethora of blackberries that I am harvesting, almost daily, from my back yard. And, with a little help from Martha, here are the ways we ate them all up! Thank you mother nature for all of this yummy fruit. Our tummies are happy but my waistline, not so much.

blackberry almond shortbread squares:

These squares tasted gorgeous but there were extremely crumbly and difficult to eat - politely. I followed the recipe but my pastry didn't quite hold up to the example set here.

blackberry swirl pound cake:

I doubled the recipe and made two cakes, one of which I froze. I am not a huge fan of pound cake but adding the sweet and moist blackberries really improved the taste. Although the recipe does not include instructions for freezing but I think it should keep for at least three months. I plan to defrost it and enjoy when the weather turns a little cooler and I start to miss the summer tang of blackberries. If that is even possible.

blackberry crumb bars:

Another delicious recipe from Martha and a perfect companion to my afternoon coffee! The crumb topping is really great - butter, sugar and flour - what else do you need?

and of course, jam. lots and lots of JAM!

I used a recipe for freezer jam from Ball and although it is quicker to make than the recipe I used for last years batch, it is a little watery. Despite the consistency it is still perfect for your morning toast. If you know me, please do not be surprised if you receive a pot of jam!

At this point I have run out of jars and ideas. Although, this does look tempting...