Antioxidant boost with blackberries (or brambles, as we call them in Scotland!)

We are now officially in autumn but have been blessed with a bit of an Indian summer! I had a happy morning with my children last weekend riding our bikes along an old, disused railway line near where we live. However, we kept having to stop to gorge ourselves on the amazing blackberries, or brambles as we call them in Scotland! Luckily I had a collecting tub with me as I had a recipe in mind which I’d spotted in the Tesco magazine. 

It’s worth foraging for these wonderful berries as they are very good for your health. They freeze well so you can use them all year round. Their dark, inky colour means they are full of antioxidants that protect your cells from damage and even certain cancers. They are full of vitamin C and high in fibre. Blackberries are low on the glycaemic index so they can help your blood sugar remain stable. Their high tannin content helps to reduce intestinal inflammation, alleviate haemorrhoids and soothe the effects of diarrhoea. So stock up while they are in season. 

Here’s a great way of using the brambles you’ve collected in this Blackberry Cheesecake Ice Cream recipe. It’s really easy to make and no need for fancy ice cream makers, or endless stirring. What’s not to like?!

Ingredients:
300g blackberries
100g caster sugar
4 tbsp lemon juice
250g tub light cream cheese
200g condensed milk
300ml double cream
5 digestive biscuits, roughly crushed

Method:

1. Put the blackberries in a small pan with the sugar, 1 tbsp lemon juice and 50ml water. Bring to the boil and simmer, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes, or until the berries have broken down and are turning jam-like. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool completely.
   
   
2. In a mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese and 3 tbsp lemon juice; beat until smooth. Beat in the condensed milk. In a separate bowl, whip the cream to soft peaks, then fold it into the cream cheese mixture, along with the biscuits.
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3. Transfer the cream mixture to a shallow, lidded container and gently stir through the blackberry mixture to create a marbled effect. Cover and freeze for 5 hours or overnight, until solid.  Enjoy! It didn’t last long in our house…  

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And here’s the original blackberry cheesecake ice cream recipe from Tesco in case you need it.