Madhouse recipe : Apple & Blackberry Compote

Over the weekend, there was an unexpected knock at the door and it was one of the neighbour's kids selling blackberries that he'd been picking. Well, you can't get any more fresh and organic than that, so I asked him how much he wanted. It was €1 a bag so I made his day by buying his last two bags !

After eating some raw, I decided to use the rest in a simple compote. They were quite sharp so I added some apple for extra sweetness.

Apple & Blackberry Compote

ingredients :

200g blackberries

2 apples, peeled and chopped into small pieces

50g sugar (more or less, to taste)

a little water

a glug of blackcurrant and cinammon syrup (optional)

Put the blackberries and apple in a saucepan, along with a little water and cook over a low heat for 5 minutes. Add the sugar and simmer for a further 10 minutes until the fruit is soft but still whole. Turn off the heat and pour off the excess liquid - don't throw it away, it's delicious in drinks, dessert sauces or to make overnight oats. My secret ingredient is a glug of blackcurrant and cinammon syrup stirred through at the last minute. Taste and add a little more sugar if required.

This can be eaten as it is, warm or cold, or on top of yogurt, cheesecake or ice cream, in a pie ... the options are limitless ! You could blitz it in a blender but I like to leave the fruit whole.