Aunt Linda’s View from the Cottage

“Summertime, and the livin’ is easy”? Not with our family this year! We’ve had my hubby’s retirement, my ninety-one year-old Mom in the hospital for a week, helping a son and family move, making an offer on a home, and a new grandbaby. We are indeed the “sandwich generation.”

You can understand why I wanted a taste of summer before it’s gone. So before we got down to business yesterday morning, we picked a quart of blackberries from a near-by patch. This afternoon, after I take Mom for a ride in the country, I’ll be making one of our favorite summer desserts: Blackberry Gingerbread. I’ve included the recipe for you here.

You may want to invite the kids to help you pick the berries, but don’t expect that the youngest ones will gather much. Remember it’s in the experience. Perhaps the older ones will want to help you make this treat. Try it and it may become a favorite of your family’s too.

BLACKBERRY GINGERBREAD (Revised)
from Aunt Linda

Servings: 6 Serving size: 1 cup Pre-preparation time: 1 Hr Preparation time: 30 minutes Bake time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

1 cup Blackberries

2 Tablespoons Sugar

2 teaspoons Vinegar

1/4 cup non-fat Milk

1-1/2 cups unbleached Flour

1 teaspoon Baking Soda

1/2 teaspoon Lite Salt

1/2 teaspoon Allspice

1/4 teaspoon ground Cloves

1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg

1/2 cup unsalted Butter, room temperature

1/2 cup Brown Sugar

2 large Egg

2 Tablespoons Molasses

2 teaspoons peeled, shredded fresh Ginger

1/4 cup Confectioner’s Sugar

1/2 to 3/4 cup Blackberries for topping

3/4 cup Whipped Cream

Directions:
1. In a bowl, gently toss blackberries with sugar and vinegar; let stand 1 hour. Strain, reserving liquid and berries. Mix strained juices with enough milk to make 1/2 cup liquid.
2. In a separate bowl, sift flour, soda, salt and spices, and set aside.
3. In a third bowl, using a mixer or by hand, cream butter and brown sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in molasses and ginger. On low speed if using mixer, slowly add 1/2 cup flour mixture, then the milk mixture.
4. Spread 2/3 batter in buttered and floured 8 x 8 inch baking pan. Arrange the berries you’ve set aside on top. Top with remaining batter (berries will not be completely covered.)
5. Bake in preheated 350 oven 40 minutes, or until toothpick becomes clean. Cool on rack.
6. Sift confectioner’s sugar over cake, cut into squares and top with berries and whipped cream.

Together, let’s invite our children and grandchildren’s imaginations out to play.