Boozy blackberries

A long, long time ago, blackberry brandy was made in this household. An even longer time ago, blackberries were lingering in the fridge from the first batch of brandy made. Because the batch referred to in the first sentence is indeed the second batch. Any idea where I'm getting at? Well, a second batch meant a whole new load of blackberries in the fridge.

I can never get myself to throw them out, there's nothing wrong with them really, and they're soaked in brandy. It would be criminal. So I keep them there, certain they will be fine for months to come (alcohol is a wonderful preservative), waiting for the perfect recipe to come along.

And along it came in a little booklet of "light recipes" with last month's Olive magazine. So off I went, substituted the frozen mixed berries that were called for, with my lovely brandy-infused blackberries. I adapted the recipe ever so slightly and so here it is. Quite a lot of you have been making fruity booze over the last year or so, and I'm pretty sure this would work a treat with all types of fruit.

Ingredients:

• 200g butter
• 200g golden caster sugar
• 4 eggs
• 200g self-raising flour
• 50g ground almonds
• 300g boozy blackberries (or however much fruit you need to cover the bottom of your tin)
• 2 tbsp golden syrup

Method:

• Line a 20cm spring-form cake with paper and grease it.
• Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
• Beat in the eggs.
• Fold in the flour and almonds.
• Add a little water to make the mix spoonable.
• Spread the berries at the bottom of the tin and cover with the golden syrup.
• Spoon the cake mix on top.
• Bake for 1hr, or until cooked at 180degrees C.
• Cool in the tin then turn out and enjoy!

I've kept this for nearly a week (I'm trying to control my cake-eating urges!), and it was still as nice on Day 6 as it was on Day 1. I even froze a quarter and had a sneaky slice last night and it was still delicious. Go on, have a go!!