Blackberry Bonanza

Blackberries have risen in rank as one of my favorite berries over the past few years.
Eaten fresh they fall just behind raspberries and strawberries. But cooked or as jam, blackberries take the cake!
Not only do these berries taste great, they’re great for you!
Also, when you pick them yourself they’re usually cheaper and you know exactly what you’re getting. You can avoid the moldy surprise the cartons at the grocer tend to hide and you can make sure each berry you pick is plump and ripe.
But what to do with all those blackberries you pick?
I use the following recipes every year for my blackberry harvest. I hope you enjoy them too!

Blackberry Cobbler

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups white sugar, divided
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons cold butter
1/4 cup boiling water
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup cold water
1 tablespoon lemon juice
4 cups fresh blackberries, rinsed and drained

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

2. In a large bowl, mix the flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in 1/4 cup boiling water just until mixture is evenly moist.

3. In a separate bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in cold water. Mix in remaining 1 cup sugar, lemon juice, and blackberries. Transfer to a cast iron skillet, and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Drop dough into the skillet by spoonfuls. Place skillet on the foil lined baking sheet.

4. Bake 25 minutes in the preheated oven, until dough is golden brown.

Blackberry Jam

4 cups crushed blackberries
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 box (1-3/4 or 2 ounces) powdered pectin
6 cups sugar

1. Wash 6 half-pint jars. Keep hot until needed. Prepare lids as manufacturer directs.

2. In large, non-aluminum pot, combine the crushed berries, lemon juice and pectin. Bring to a full rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Quickly add sugar, still stirring. Return to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down; then boil, stirring, for 1 minute. (If using a 2-ounce box of pectin, boil for 2 minutes.) Remove from heat and skim off any foam.

3. If preparing jam for the pantry, ladle into one hot jar at a time, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Wipe jar rims with a clean, damp cloth. Attach lid. Fill and close remaining jars. Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes (15 minutes at 1,000 to 6,000 feet; 20 minutes above 6,000 feet).

4. If preparing for freezer or refrigerator, ladle the jam into clean jars (or freezer containers, leaving 1/2-inch headspace); apply lids. Let stand for 12 to 24 hours at room temperature; freeze or refrigerate.

Storage Time: Processed, up to 1 year; unprocessed, up to 1 month in the refrigerator or up to 1 year in the freezer.