Well, its the weekend and I always like to share a new baking recipe with you at the weekend. This week I am sharing an easy shortcake recipe, which has a very autumnal feel to it.
Apple & Blackberry Shortcake. Apple and Blackberry season is upon us now and this is a really delicious way to use some of those lovely fruits.
I have always felt that there is a very good reason that certain fruits, vegetables, proteins, etc. come into season at the same time. That is because they are a perfect fit for each other.
Or maybe we have made them into a perfect fit for each other because they come into season at the same time. Whatever it is, apples and blackberries go together like peas and carrots.
Although apples do stay with us throughout the winter, blackberries are with us for only a short time. I try to use them as often as I can when they are in season.
I was very spoilt in the UK as they grew wild and free for the picking in all of the hedgerows! This time of year you will often see people standing by the hedges with buckets picking berries to their hearts content.
They are called Brambles over there and there are only two rules to follow when picking them. One wear a long sleeved shirt and gloves if you have them. This protects you from the prickles. Two soak them in water when you get them home. This helps to remove any worms or insects. They float to the top.
We are all familiar with strawberry shortcake. Every year we treat ourselves to that old favorite and enjoy it immensely.
This year I thought why not an apple and blackberry shortcake? Why not indeed!!
This shortcake differs from the usual in that it boasts a sweet meringue topping. Very easy to make and spread on top of the biscuit dough prior to baking.
It puffs up golden brown on top of that biscuit dough and provides a beautiful backdrop for the apples and berries as you can see.
In fact, you could serve this with any fruit topping. I cannot think of any fruit or berry it would not go with. Use your imagination!
Peaches and raspberries would be lovely! Roasted plums! Pears and cranberries. Mango, pineapple and banana . . . just pick any type of fruit you enjoy!
You do need a six-inch round cake or pie tin to bake it in, however. That is the only drawback, unless you double the recipe and bake it in a 9-inch pan. Its up to you.
The recipe cuts into four nice slices, which is enough for two with leftovers for another night. Or for a small family of four on the night.
The biscuit base is very easy to make and uses a boxed biscuit/baking mix, or you can make your own baking mix as I usually do.
I have included the recipe for that. I often have a container of it in my freezer ready to use when I need it. It comes in really hand for all sorts.
Once they have softened slightly and begun to caramelize you throw in some blackberries and take it off the heat. The blackberries cook only the slightest in the heat of the pan, maintaining the integrity of their shape, etc.
I have kept the fruit topping a bit on the tart side because of the sweetness of the base with the meringue and all.
There is such a thing as too much sweet.
This was beautiful served with some vanilla ice cream on the side. Whipped cream or clotted cream would also go very nicely.
Oh my, I miss the luxury of clotted cream. I am going to have to try to make my own sometime, but I do have my doubts about that. Somehow I don't think it will ever taste the same.
Anyways, if you are looking for a nice, quick and easy dessert to serve this Labor Day weekend, you cannot go wrong with this one!
Blackberry & Apple Shortcake
Yield: Serves 2 with leftovers
Author: Marie Rayner
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 20 MinTotal time: 30 Min
This autumn shortcake is a beautiful dessert, with a quick and easy biscuit base topped with a meringue topping prior to baking. Served with lush blackberries and apples spooned over top, a scoop of ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream goes very nicely with this dessert!
Ingredients
For the shortcake:
1 1/4 cups (160g) baking mix (see my recipe or use a brand like Bisquick)
1 1/2 TBS granulated sugar
1 1/2 TBS melted butter
1/4 cup (60ml) milk
1 large free range egg white
2 TBS granulated sugar
2 TBS icing sugar
For the fruit topping:
2 sweet eating apples, peeled, cored and sliced
1 TBS butter
1 TBS soft light brown sugar, packed
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
Pinch each of ground cardamom and grated nutmeg
pinch of salt
1 cup (145g) blackberries
Instructions
First make the shortcake base. You will need a six inch round cake tin. Butter it well and line with two strips of parchment paper, in a cross shape. (Leave an overhang to lift the cake out with when done.)
Preheat the oven to 375*F.
Stir the baking mix, 1 1/2 TBS of sugar, melted butter and milk together until a dough forms. Press the dough into the bottom of the cake tin.
Whisk the egg white together until foamy. Keep whisking adding both the granulated and icing sugar, a bit at a time, until stiff peaks form and the mixture is glossy.
Spoon this mixture over top of the biscuit base, swirling it decoratively.
Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, until golden brown and puffed.
Remove from the oven and let sit in the pan for 10 minutes before loosening the edges and lifting out onto a cooling rack or a plate.
To make the fruit topping, place the apples, butter, brown sugar, spices and salt into a small skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally over medium high heat until the apples are somewhat softened and beginning to caramelize, but are still holding their shape. Remove from the heat and stir in the blackberries. Let cool to room temperature.
Cut the cake into wedges and serve with some of the fruit topping spooned over top, along with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. Delicious!
Did you make this recipe?
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Homemade Baking Mix
Yield: Makes about 6 cups
Author: Marie Rayner
This is so easy to make. I like to keep mine in the freezer, but you can keep it at room temperature for several months.
Ingredients
700g plain flour (5 cups, all purpose)
3 TBS baking powder
2 tsp salt
220g of solid white vegetable fat (Crisco or Trex, 1 cup)
Instructions
Put the flour, baking powder and salt into the bowl of a food processer and blitz for a couple seconds. Add half of the fat and blitz for about 30 seconds. Add the remaining fat and blitz again for about 30 seconds. The mixture should resemble fine bread crumbs. Store in an airtight container.
Use as per any recipe requiring a baking mix.
Notes:
Note: You can also do it by hand using a pastry blender.
Did you make this recipe?
Tag @marierayner5530 on instagram and hashtag it #TheEnglishKitchen
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Never thought to mix blackberries with apples but what a good idea. Loved the meringue topping. A lovely fall dessert. I made your Lemon Butter Cod for dinner last night - so good! Enjoy your weekend, Marie. Love and hugs, Elaine
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If you are a Baking Enthusiast and a fan of British Baking you are going to love this new book I wrote. From fluffy Victoria sponges to sausage rolls, the flavors of British baking are some of the most famous in the world. Learn how to create classic British treats at home with the fresh, from-scratch, delicious recipes in The Best of British Baking. Its all here in this delicious book! To find out more just click on the photo of the book above!
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This is a book I wrote several years ago, published by Passageway Press. I am incredibly proud of this accomplishment. It is now out of print as my publisher went out of business after Covid, but you can still find used copies for sale here and there. If you have a copy of it, hang onto it because they are very rare. This was a real labor of love for me and a dream come true as I had always wanted to write a book since I was a child. Hopefully I will be able to republish it one day. If you know of a publisher who is looking for something let me know!
Welcome, I'm Marie
Canadian lover of all things British. I cook every day and like to share it with you!
A third of my life was spent living in the UK. I learned to love the people, the country and the cuisine. I have always been an Anglophile. You will find plenty of traditional British recipes here in my English Kitchen. There are lots of North American recipes also, but then again, I am a Canadian by birth. I like to think of my page as a happy mix of both. If you are looking for something and cannot find it, don't be afraid to ask! I am always happy to help and point you in the right direction, even if it exists on another page, or in my extensive collection of cookbooks. I moved back to Canada in the year 2020 and have been busy building a new life for myself back in my homeland. I am largely retired now, except for this little space on the internet that I call home. I hope you will stay a while and have a good boo around. There's lots of deliciousness here to explore!
Never thought to mix blackberries with apples but what a good idea. Loved the meringue topping. A lovely fall dessert. I made your Lemon Butter Cod for dinner last night - so good! Enjoy your weekend, Marie. Love and hugs, Elaine
ReplyDeleteWhat a terrific idea for all. It looks delicious!
ReplyDelete