Blackberry:

Blackberry Velvet Cake Recipe:

6 oz. white chocolate
12 T. softened butter
1 1/2 C. sugar
6 eggs
3/4 t. almond extract
2 1/2 C. flour
1/2 t. salt
1 C. chopped pecans
3 or 4 C. blackberries
Cream cheese icing (recipe follows)

Line a 17 1/2 x 11 1/2-inch jelly roll pan with foil and butter lightly. Melt white chocolate in a double boiler over simmering water until smooth. In a large bowl, beat butter until creamy. Gradually beat in sugar, then beat in eggs one at a time. Beat in white chocolate and almond extract. Sift together flour and salt. Gradually beat into batter. Fold in pecans, then blackberries. Spread in prepared pan. Bake at 350°F. for 25 to 30 minutes. When done, turn upside-down on a clean dish towel and peel off foil. Cool. Spread with cream cheese icing.

Cream Cheese Icing 28-oz. packages cream cheese, softened 2 1/2 C. sifted confectioners' sugar 1 t. vanilla

Blackberry Trifle Recipe:

12 ladyfingers
4 C. fresh blackberries
1 C. sugar
1/3 C. flour
1/3 C. orange juice
3 T. brandy extract
6 almond macaroons, crushed
8 C. vanilla pudding
4 C. whipped topping
1/2 C. slivered toasted almonds

Mix flour and sugar and stir gently through berries. Warm slightly. Arrange bottom halves of lady fingers in single layer in bottom of a 9 x 9-inch pan. Spread with blackberry mixture. Place second layer of ladyfingers on top. Mix orange juice and brandy extract. Pour over ladyfingers. Hand crush macaroons and sprinkle over top. Cover with pudding. Allow to chill and set for 1 hour. Spread whipped topping over pudding. Decorate with toasted almonds. Makes 8-10 servings.

Blackberry Cobbler

2 16-oz. packages frozen blackberries, thawed
2 C. sugar or to taste
2 T. flour
1 T. lemon juice
1/2 C. butter
Pastry (below)

Combine berries, sugar, flour and lemon juice and stir well. Set aside. Prepare pastry and divide dough in half. Roll half of dough to 1/8-inch thickness to fit bottom of 9 x 13-inch dish (lightly greased). Spoon berry mixture into pastry-lined dish; dot with butter. Roll remaining half of dough to fit top of cobbler. Place over berry mixture. Make slits in dough or cut into strips. Dot with butter pats and sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 350°F. for about 45 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown.

Pastry:
2 C. all-purpose flour
3/4 t. salt
2/3 C. shortening
3 T. ice water

Combine flour and salt; cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle water over mixture and stir with fork. Shape dough into ball.

Blackberry-Bourbon Custard Pie

1 (9-inch) prepared pie crust
2-1/2 C. fresh blackberries
1-1/2 C. sugar
6 T. cornstarch
1/4 t. kosher salt
2 T. unsalted butter
4 egg yolks, beaten
1/2 C. broken walnut pieces
1 C. chilled whipping cream
2 T. brown sugar
1 T. bourbon

Bake the pie crust as directed on the package. Cool thoroughly. Use a wooden spoon to press the berries through a sieve or strainer to remove the seeds. Discard the seeds and put the puree in a heavy saucepan over medium-low heat.
Sift together the sugar, cornstarch and salt. Add them to the puree and stir. Add the butter. Continue to stir until the sugar and butter are melted, and the mixture is creamy but not boiling.
Whisk several spoonfuls of the hot berry puree into the beaten egg yolks to temper them, then whisk the yolks into the puree in the pan. Continue to stir and cook until the mixture boils. Reduce the heat and simmer 1 minute.
Pour the berry mixture into the cooled pie crust. Cool to room temperature. Sprinkle the walnuts over the top. Using the back of a large spoon or the palm of your hand, very lightly press the nuts into the custard, just enough to set. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
When you are ready to serve, whip the cream with the brown sugar and bourbon until light peaks form. Serve slices of pie with a generous dollop of bourbon whipped cream on each.
Makes 8 servings.

Blackberry Mousse

1 C. blackberry juice (no pulp or seeds)
1 envelope Knox gelatin
1 t. lemon juice
1 C. sugar
1 C. whipping cream
1 t. vanilla
1 graham cracker pie crust

In a saucepan, combine blackberry juice and lemon juice. Sprinkle gelatin over the juice. Bring to a slow boil, stirring constantly. Once slow boil is maintained, add sugar. Cook and stir about one minute to dissolve sugar thoroughly. Pour into a bowl and refrigerate until it becomes thicker (syrupy, but not set).

Whip cream and vanilla to soft peak stage. Gently pour cream into blackberry gelatin mixture. Fold/stir gently until an even color is achieved. Pour into graham cracker crust. Refrigerate or freeze.

Fresh Blackberry Pie

Filling:
3 to 4 C. blackberries
1 3/4 C. sugar
2 T. flour
1/4 t. salt
1/2 T. butter (for top)
Crust:
2 C. flour
1 C. shortening (cold)
1/2 to 3/4 C. cold water
1/2 t. salt
Mix all filling ingredients together except butter. For crust, cut shortening into flour and salt until it forms pea-size bits. Toss bits with cold fork until you can form a ball in your hand. Roll out on floured board or stone. Line pie pan with crust, add filling, dot with butter and top with crust. Bake 350°F. for 45 minutes to an hour, until done.