This blackberry cordial is easy to make and tastes divine; it has a deep, intense, fruity flavour.
Use this blackberry cordial in hot or cold drinks (dilute with one part cordial with five parts water), drizzled over hot porridge, in poached pears and blackberry syrup galettes (recipe in Rachel's book) or to soak the sponges of a blackberry whisky and chocolate gateau (recipe in Rachel's book).
The bramble plant is a favourite amongst foragers, as the delicious fruits are tasty to eat straight off the bush, and are just so versatile! Here are a selection of recipes you may want to try out:
Place the fruits in a medium saucepan with 1 tablespoon of water over a low–medium heat and mash a little with a wooden spoon. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until the fruits become soft and the pan is full of a simmering, dark liquid. Watch it doesn’t bubble over.
Strain through a jelly bag, muslin or nylon cloth and leave to drip for at least 1 hour. You can squeeze the last drops out but be careful not to break the bag. You should have around 325ml of liquid, but if you have significantly more or less you’ll need to adjust the sugar quantity accordingly (4g sugar for every extra 10ml oz).
Rinse the pan and return the liquid to it, then add the sugar and stir over a medium heat until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to the boil then remove from the heat and decant into a sterilised bottle. Store in the fridge for up to six months.
Main image: Blackberry drink. © Lauri Patterson/Getty