Foraged for Freshness
We’ve been foraging, in every nook and cranny of our region, looking for local suppliers of fresh, tasty and wherever possible organic food for our delicious school meals.
Our menus include some of these fabulous foods, fresh from the harvest. At this time of year our hedgerows and fields are teeming with delicious local fruit. Two good examples of this are apples and blackberries, both give a nutritional boost as they’re packed with vitamin C to help keep away those winter colds.
As well as being good for you, apples and blackberries taste great, especially when used in classic hot British puddings. Apple and blackberry cake is just one example from our new menu, which is served with creamy comforting custard that is made from milk from one of our local dairies.
Why not try and make it for yourself at home using our recipe.
Apple & Blackberry cake
Ingredients (makes 12 portions)
- 225g butter
- 150g self-raising flour
- 75g wholemeal flour
- 225g golden castor sugar
- 4 medium Eggs
- 100g blackberries
- 1 cooking apple (peeled and grated)
- 5g baking powder
- The juice and zest of 1 lemon
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180oC/gas mark 4/fan oven 160oC.
2. Line the base and sides of a 20cm/8in of a square cake tin (not loose based) with greaseproof paper and butter the paper.
3. Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs, adding a little flour towards the end to prevent curdling.
4. Beat in the lemon zest, then fold in the flour. Fold in enough lemon juice to give a good dropping consistency
5. Fold in three quarters of the blackberries and the grated apple, pour the mixture into a prepared tin.
6. Smooth the surface, then scatter the remaining blackberries on the top.
7. Bake for about 1 hour or until firm to the touch (cover with foil if beginning to brown too much). A skewer pushed into the centre should be clean when removed.
8. Cut into 12 pieces and serve with custard, cream or ice cream.
