Delicious recipes with seasonal berries

Blueberry, orange and polenta cake (serves 8 - 10) This moist Italian inspired cake, bejeweled with blueberries, is more pudding than cake, especially when served with a spoonful of mascarpone flavoured with your favourite orange liqueur.

Ingredients 125g (41/2 oz) butter, at room temperature 125g (41/2 oz) caster sugar 1 orange, grated rind and 3 tablespoons of the juice (about ½ an orange) 75g (3oz) polenta 75g (3oz) self-raising flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 50g (2oz) ground almonds 2 medium eggs, beaten 1 tablespoon orange flower water, optional 150g (5oz) blueberries

To finish: 75g (3oz) caster sugar 1 orange, grated rind of half and 5 tablespoons of the juice Few pistachios, sliced 250g (9oz) mascarpone soft cheese 2 tablespoons orange liqueur Extra blueberries to decorate

Method

• Preheat the oven to 170°C (150°C fan assisted), Gas Mark 3. Grease and base line a 23cm (9inch) springform tin. Add the butter and sugar to a large bowl or food processor then add the orange rind and beat together until light and fluffy.
• Mix the polenta, flour, baking powder and ground almonds in a bowl. Gradually mix alternate spoonfuls of beaten egg and the polenta mix into the creamed butter and sugar and beat well after each addition until smooth once more.
• Stir in 3 tablespoons orange juice and the orange flour water, if using. Spoon into the lined tin and sprinkle the blueberries over the top.
• Bake for about 35 minutes until the cake is well risen, cracked slightly on top and a skewer comes out cleanly when inserted into the centre of the cake.
• Mix 50g (2oz) of the remaining sugar with 3 tablespoons of orange juice together in a bowl. Remove the cake from the tin and put on to a cooling rack, peeling away the lining paper and set the rack over a plate. Skewer the top of the cake then drizzle over the orange syrup and sprinkle with the pistachios. Leave to cool.
• When ready to serve, mix the mascarpone with the grated rind of ½ an orange rind and the rest of the sugar then gradually mix in 2 tablespoons of orange juice and the liqueur.
• Transfer the cake to a board, top with extra blueberries then cut into thin slices. Serve with spoonfuls of the mascarpone mix.

Baked raspberry and chocolate puddings with rich dark chocolate sauce (serves 4) Make these rich dark chocolate puddings earlier in the day then just cook for 10 minutes while you clear the table. Serve with a drizzle of warm cinnamon spiced chocolate sauce and complete with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Ingredients Puddings Little butter for greasing 65g (21/2oz) dark chocolate, broken into pieces 40g (11/2oz) butter, diced 2 medium eggs 50g (2oz) caster sugar 40g (11/2oz) plain flour 2 teaspoons cocoa 100g (4oz) raspberries, plus a few extra to decorate

Sauce 100g (4oz) dark chocolate, broken into pieces 25g (1oz) caster sugar 125ml (4fl oz) milk Large pinch ground cinnamon Few drops vanilla essence Vanilla ice cream to serve

Method

• First make the puddings. Brush the inside of 4, 7.5cm (3 inch) diameter, 2.5cm (1inch) deep individual Yorkshire pudding tins or foil dishes with a little butter then line the base of each tin with a circle of non-stick baking paper. Add the chocolate and butter to a small saucepan and heat very gently, stirring until both have melted then take off the heat.
• Add the eggs and sugar to a bowl and whisk together for a minute or two until frothy. Gradually whisk in the melted chocolate and butter mix then the flour and cocoa until smooth.
• Divide between the buttered dishes then scatter the raspberries over the top. Chill for 1-2 hours, or longer if it suits you better until ready to cook. Add all the sauce ingredients to a small saucepan and heat very gently, stirring until smooth then take off the heat. Cool then cover and transfer to the fridge.
• When ready to serve, preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan assisted), Gas Mark 4. Put the puddings on to a baking sheet then cook for 10 minutes or until just set in the centre. Take out of the oven, leave to cool for a minute or two then loosen and remove from the tins. Peel away the lining paper and transfer to serving dishes.
• Decorate with extra raspberries, warm the sauce through then drizzle over the puddings and serve with scoops of vanilla ice cream.

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