blackberry days & pastry ways
summer foraging, vegan pastry and whānau connection through kai
when the call to forage blackberries comes, you listen to the call.
this may be a mildly controversial opinion, but I think that blackberries are perhaps my favourite berry fruit. Shocking I know. But I welcome the slight tartness that balances their sweet juicy goodness, a quality rather lacking in your strawberries, boysenberries and such. I am also attracted to their brashness, wildly weaving themselves amongst nature, offering their fruiting reward only to those brave enough to conquer their thorny defence.
Foraging will always bring joy. But there’s something incomparably thrilling about being able to forage wild blackberries. Often a forager’s bounty requires some kitchen time to prepare and express the deliciousness of that which is gathered; whereas a blackberry can be plucked and devoured in a flicker, an opportunity to instantaneously gorge on nature’s good.
So when the cry came from my parents that in their neck of the woods (near Blueskin Bay, Waitati), wild blackberries were ripe and for the picking, my Sunday was set. We piled in the back of the ute, dogs and all, and after a dreary morning the sky cleared and we had the most moreish afternoon filling our cups, with blackberries, good vibes and more.
Spending time collecting kai with loved ones is remarkably underrated. Whether it be going to your local market with your flatmate to get produce for flat meals in the week ahead, catching Kina in the shallows with your cousins, or taking the grandkids to pick strawberries at the local PYO, the harvesting of kai as collective force gives us a deeply innate sense of place and community. And to take this a step further, to prepare and/or eat the food you’ve gathered together, is what living well is all about.
In Eating Who I Want to Be, one of my aims was to connect with community, and the first place to start is by creating greater opportunities to cook and eat with friends and whānau. So my challenge this week to all of you is to be proactive in trying to connect more with friends, whānau and whenua in your everyday eating. Here’s a few simple ideas to spark your own imagination…
next time you plan to go out for dinner with friends, instead prepare a meal together at someone’s home (great ideas are hand-rolling pasta, making pizzas, samosas, tacos etc. - something where you can get a conveyor line going and everyone’s involved)
invite people into your home and cook for them at least once/fortnight, as a regular occurence ~ and try to expand your community by inviting someone you haven’t cooked for before into the warm embrace of your home
have a ‘local products’ picnic with friends and whānau - everyone has to bring food that is produced locally or homemade - and make sure your picnic involves sitting on the ground. There’s something about eating while connected with the earth that makes things taste better.
next time you buy your produce from a local producer or farmer’s market, take a moment to ask the producer how their day is going and be curious to learn more about the work they do to produce food for the community - another great way to connect to your neighbours and local land through food.
Getting into this week’s recipes, I am acutely aware that fresh blackberries may be difficult for some people to get their hands on. But I am here to assure you that you need not worry - all of these recipes can be made with thawed frozen blackberries, or boysenberries, blueberries or whatever berry fruit you happen to get your hands on. But I do still believe that blackberries are best, if available.
Part of Eating Who I Want to Be this year includes trying to be more planet-conscious, and one component of this is trying to eat a more plant-based diet, and reflecting this in the recipes I share with my community. Now for a cake and pastry lover who just 6 months ago was going through close to 100 eggs/week for my baking business, plant-based pastry is a big deal!! But there is something creatively fulfilling about crafting plant-based recipes in the realm of all things buttery and sweet that I find particularly satisfying. So this week’s recipes see blackberries starring in a plant-based pastry extravaganza.
First up is a recipe for an all purpose vegan sweet flaky pastry that is incredibly versatile, uses everyday pantry ingredients and is blissfully simple to make. I like to use some wholemeal spelt flour, as it brings a nuttiness and also improves the golden colouring of the pastry when baked (if you look at the pics below, the galette was made with half wholemeal spelt flour, whereas the tart was made with plain flour, and you can notice the colour difference in the pastry). Because typical pastry contains butter, the caramelisation of milk solids can lend itself to the golden colouration as can things like an egg wash. This pastry sees olive oil used in place of butter, which brings that richness and fat but does result in a paler pastry.
Everyday vegan sweet flaky pastry
Hands-on Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes (plus chilling time if needed)
makes enough for a galette or a 23-25cm pie/tart
Cost estimate: $3.50 if using spelt flour, $2 if using plain flour
Ingredients
225g spelt flour or plain flour (or a mix of both)
50g icing sugar
¼ tsp sea salt
90ml olive oil
about 2-3 tbsp cold water
Method
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, icing sugar and salt. Add the oil and mix with a wooden spoon to coat the flour. Add cold water, 1 tbsp at a time, mixing with your hands until the dough just comes together. Gather the dough together and press into a thick disc.
Alby’s Advice:
If not using immediately, wrap the pastry in clingfilm and refrigerate for up to 3 days. You may need to leave at room temperature before rolling depending on how malleable the pastry is after chilling.
When rolling out this pastry, I suggest rolling it between two sheets of baking paper - to reduce the risk of sticking to your bench. If using for a tart, quiche etc. you do not need to chill the pastry before rolling (you will then chill the pastry once it is in the tin). If using for a free form galette or crostata, I suggest chilling for 30 minutes before rolling out.
You can keep your pastry plain, or jazz it up with some spice. I like to add 1 teaspoon of ground ginger, cinnamon, cardamom or fennel to give it some oomph (depending on what flavours the filling contains).
So now you’ve got the pastry (and how easy was that to make??!!), let’s use it!!!
Today I’ve got two killer recipes, inspired by the bounty of blackberries I foraged with my whānau and both utilising this vegan pastry recipe.
First up is my Blackberry, fennel & apricot galette - an absolute chorus of summer fruit appreciation. And for paid subscribers, the crème de la crème Blackberry & lime curd tart, which will quickly become the jewel in the crown of your plant-based dessert repertoire. It’s never too late to become a paid subscriber (less than $5/month), and there will be another bonus recipe coming your way in the next few days…
Much love,
Alby xx
Blackberry, fennel & apricot galette
Hands-on Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes (includes pastry chilling time)
serves 8
Cost estimate: $13.50 ($1.70 per serve)
Ingredients
1 quantity Everyday vegan sweet flaky pastry (see recipe above)
500g apricots (about 8), halved, stones removed and quartered
2 tsp fennel seeds
3 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp lemon juice
50g ground almonds
150g fresh blackberries (or use thawed frozen blackberries)
2 tbsp plant-based milk (e.g. almond or soy)
coconut yoghurt or ice cream, to serve
Method
First prepare your Everyday vegan sweet flaky pastry following the recipe above. Wrap the pastry loosely in clingfilm or a tea towel and refrigerate for 30 minutes to chill.
Preheat the oven to 170°C fan-forced (or 190°C conventional).
In a bowl, toss together the apricot quarters, fennel seeds, 2 tbsp maple syrup and lemon juice to coat; set aside.
To assemble the galette, place a sheet of baking paper the size of an oven tray on a clean surface, and lightly sprinkle it with flour. Place the chilled pastry dough in the centre of the baking paper, cover with another sheet of baking paper and using a rolling pin, roll out into a large circle approx. 28-30cm in diameter. Peel off the top sheet of baking paper and transfer the bottom baking paper with the rolled-out pastry to a large oven tray.
Sprinkle the ground almonds over the base of the pastry, leaving a 5cm pastry border that will be folded over to enclose your filling. Arrange the apricots in a single layer on top of the ground almonds, nestled together to fully cover. Drizzle any of the remaining syrup from the bowl over the apricots. Dot two-thirds of the blackberries evenly on top of the apricots. Gently fold the pastry border over the edge of the filling, pleating a little as you go, so that the edges of the filling are enclosed. Whisk together the plant-based milk and remaining 1 tbsp maple syrup, to make a plant-based egg wash (of sorts). Brush this evenly onto the folded pastry border. Bake for 40-45 minutes until the pastry is golden brown and crisp. Remove from the oven, scatter over the remaining blackberries, and leave to cool for 5 minutes. Slice and serve warm with coconut yoghurt or ice cream.
Alby’s Advice:
Substitute the apricots for your favourite seasonal stonefruit, and likewise use whatever fresh berries you have on hand. The fennel goes well with any option.
Blackberry & lime curd tart
This blackberry & lime curd tart is the dessert I dream of. Think Mum’s classic lemon meringue pie, but with a zingy set lime curd, blackberry compote and fresh blackberries in place of meringue. Smooth, sweet, creamy, tart and indulgent.
Hands-on Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
serves 10-12
Cost estimate: $20 ($2 per serve)
Ingredients
1 quantity Everyday vegan sweet flaky pastry (see recipe above)
400g fresh blackberries (or use thawed frozen blackberries)
finely grated zest of 1 lime
300g caster sugar
70g cornflour
300ml soy milk
pinch of turmeric
250ml lime juice
100g vegan butter or spread (e.g. Nuttelex, Olivani etc.)
Method
Preheat the oven to 170°C fan-forced (or 190°C conventional). You will need a 23-25cm fluted tart tin, ideally with a removable base.
To line the tart tin, place the Everyday vegan sweet flaky pastry dough (you do not need to chill the dough first) between two large sheets of baking paper and using a rolling pin, roll out into a large circle about 3mm thick, big enough to cover the base and sides of your tin. Peel off the top sheet of baking paper, then place back on top of the pastry (this is so that when you flip the pastry into the tin, the baking paper will come off easily). Flip upside down, and peel off the sheet of baking paper now on top, removing completely. Use the bottom sheet of baking paper to flip the pastry into the tin, so it is draping over it, and remove the baking paper. Gently press the pastry into the base and sides with your fingertips. Trim off any excess pastry overhanging the edge and use this to fill in any holes/cracks. Place in the freezer for 20 minutes to rest and chill.
To blind bake the tart shell, remove the pastry-lined tin from the freezer and prick the base of the pastry in a few places with a fork. Scrunch up a piece of baking paper big enough to line the pastry base and sides, then un-scrunch, line the tart shell to cover the pastry, and fill with uncooked rice (or baking beads). Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the rice and baking paper, return to the oven and bake for a further 5-10 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the oven and leave to cool to room temperature.
For the blackberry compote, place 200g blackberries, the lime zest and 50g caster sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to the boil and cook for 5-8 minutes to reduce, mashing the blackberries a little as you go, until a slightly thickened compote is reached. Transfer to a bowl and set aside to cool.
For the lime curd, in a medium saucepan, whisk together the cornflour and soy milk until the cornflour is dissolved. Add the remaining 250g caster sugar, turmeric, and lime juice. Place over medium-low heat and cook, whisking occasionally, until the sugar dissolves and the curd bubbles and thickens (this will take a few minutes). Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter in two parts, until smooth and thick. Immediately pour the curd into the baked tart shell. Spoon the blackberry compote over the lime curd to evenly cover. If desired, you can use a toothpick to swirl the compote through the top of the curd. Leave to cool for 5 minutes.
To finish, arrange the remaining 200g blackberries neatly on top of the compote, to cover the tart filling completely. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours until the tart is chilled and the curd is fully set. Slice and serve.
Alby’s Advice:
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Feel free to use lemon juice in place of lime juice.