Blackberries are often cooked with apple, because the apple absorbs some of the copious juices and complements the blackberries so deliciously. Any variety will do, but cooking apples are particularly good because they collapse into a fluff, making a lovely backdrop for blackberries. A bowl of this in the fridge will always go down well; try it with cornflakes or custard, or over ice-cream.

Serves 4-6

Prep: 10 min

Cook: 10 min

3 or 4 cooking apples

Squeeze of lemon juice

Approx 5 tbsp water

Approx 4 tbsp sugar

Approx 350g ripe black berries

Peel, quarter and chop the apples. Place in a pan with a squeeze lemon juice and about 5 tablespoons of water, cover and boil hard. Check after 5 minutes; you want the apples fluffy as if pureed, so a little more water may be required and/or the heat reduced. Don`t add too much extra water; you want it stiff. Stir in the butter and sugar, both of which slacken the puree. Taste and adjust sweetness. Stir the blackberries into the hot apple puree, the heat will soften the berries and the juices will stain the fruit. Stir again after a few minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Serve cold with cream.

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