Blackberries are such great fruits and with them being in season I had to find you a delicious recipe and I think I have found the perfect one in the icebox cake
It looks so delicious and will be just perfect for any occasion .. so easy to make so why not check out the recipe below and make one for your family or friends
This great recipe is brought to you by The Gray Boxwood on YouTube , thanks for sharing this recipe with us
Here below is the recipe and the video tutorial to watch both from the YouTube channel
FOR THE CRUST
– 9 whole graham crackers
– 3 tablespoons sugar
– 5 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
– 1/2 teaspoon salt
FOR THE FILLING
– 12 ounces blackberries
– 1 tablespoon cornstarch
– 3/4 cup sugar
– 2 tablespoons lemon juice
– 2 1/2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
– 3 tablespoons blackberry liquor (or fresh lemon juice)
– 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
– 1 cup heavy whipping cream
– 1 teaspoon vanilla
TO PREPARE THE FILLING
Pour liquor into small bowl and sprinkle with gelatin. Set aside to let gelatin bloom.
In a small kettle, mash the blackberries with the cornstarch, sugar and lemon juice over medium-high heat and bring to a low boil. Boil until the sugar is completely dissolved and the mixture is bubbling throughout (activating the cornstarch).
Remove from heat and add bloomed gelatin. Stir until the gelatin dissolves into the mixture.
Let the mixture cool to at least room temperature before assembling the pie.
TO PREPARE THE CRUST
While blackberry mixture cools, prepare and bake crust. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Crush the graham crackers in the bowl of a food processor.
Add sugar and salt.
Pulse to combine and then process until a fine crumb is achieved.
With the processor running, add the butter through the feed tube. Continue processing until completely combined, 20-30 seconds.
Pour crumbs into a 9-inch pie dish and spread the crumbs out evenly, slightly pressing the crumbs up the sides.
Using a flat bottomed measuring cup, firmly press the crumbs evenly on the bottom and up the sides, creating a lip around the rim.
Bake in preheated oven until lightly golden, 15 minutes.
Set aside to cool.
TO ASSEMBLE THE PIE
Whip the heavy cream with vanilla until you reach stiff peaks. Set aside.
In the bowl of your electric mixer, beat cream cheese to ensure it is soft and smooth. Add roughly 2/3 (I guess on the amount) of the cooled blackberry jam mixture and beat until completely incorporated.
Fold in 1/3 of whipped cream to lighten the cream cheese mixture then fold in the rest until no streaks remain.
Pour remaining blackberry jam into cooled pie crust and spread evenly over the bottom.
Dollop cream cheese mixture evenly over the top and smooth with a spatula.
Chill pie for at least 4 hours before you cut it.
Ten Facts About Blackberries
1) Much like spinach, raisins, apples, plums and grapes, blackberries are rich in bioflavonoids and Vitamin C, but other nutritional benefits include a very low sodium count and having only 62 calories to a cup.
2) The dark blue colour ensures blackberries have one of the highest antioxidant levels of all fruits. Antioxidants, well-known for lowering the risk of a number of cancers,are a huge bonus, but be aware the berries are best consumed in their natural state to get the full benefits.
3) The berries are known by a variety of names, which include brambleberries, bramble, dewberry, thimbleberry and lawers.
4) Consumption of blackberries can help to promote the healthy tightening of tissue,which is a great non-surgical procedure to make skin look younger. Prolonged consumption also helps keeps your brain alert, thereby maintaining clarity of thought and good memory.
5) The high tannin content of blackberries provides a number of benefits to reduce intestinal inflammation, alleviate hemorrhoids and soothe the effects of diarrhea. It is important to incorporate berries in your diet in a variety of ways. Have them as a snack or in your cereal or even as a smoothie.
6) Traditionally, the leaves and barks of the plant have also been consumed. The leaves of blackberries have been used to treat mild inflammation of the gums and sometimes even sore throats.
7) The astringent tannins are effective in oral hygiene when used as a gargle or mouthwash.
8) The leaves can also be used in a refreshing cup of tea or enhanced as a therapeutic drink. Not everyone will like the flavour, so to mask the bitter taste, honey or another form of sweetener may be added.
9) The healthy dose of Vitamin K aids in muscle relaxing, so some women use the berries to alleviate labour pains. As part of a regular diet, the juice can also be used to regulate menstruation as it is very effective in helping blood to clot.
10) And finally, if you have noticed that your blackberry plant has turned orange, destroy it. This is a serious fungal disease that cannot be cured.
Article source :http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2013/01/31/blackberry-facts_n_2581622.html
