Courtney Roulston’s top 5 berry tips

Berries are versatile enough to use in baking, desserts, jams, cocktails… even pizza! Or enjoy them as a juicy, healthy snack.

Blueberry sorbet

Place blueberries and peeled, very ripe bananas in the freezer overnight to make a fruit sorbet. Once frozen blitz the two ingredients in a food processor until smooth. You can also add flavourings such as lemon zest and vanilla. 

Quick raspberry jam

Make an instant fresh jam using raspberries and chia seeds. Crush 2 punnets of raspberries with 2 tablespoons of maple syrup and 1 teaspoon of vanilla in a bowl. Soak a tablespoon of chia seeds in a third of a cup of water for 3-4 minutes, or until they look like a gel. Mix the chia seeds into the raspberry mixture and store in sterilised jars. Serve the jam on yoghurt, toast, ice cream or pancakes.

Simple strawberry galette

Toss 2 punnets of sliced strawberries with 2 tablespoons of sugar and 1 teaspoon of corn flour. Scatter some almond meal, cinnamon and orange zest onto the base of a sheet of puff pastry, leaving a 5cm border. Tip the strawberry mixture in the middle and fold up the outer edge of the pastry to hold the strawberries in place. Brush the pastry edge with egg wash and bake at 190C for 35 minutes, or until the strawberries are jammy and the pastry is golden. Serve with yoghurt or ice cream.

Pizza with blackberries 

For something different try using blackberries on a pizza. The slight tartness of blackberries works well on a crispy-based pizza with fresh torn mozzarella, shaved fennel, salty prosciutto and a few basil leaves.

Blackberry martini

Crush blackberries into a gin martini. They add a beautiful deep purple colour and sweet perfumed flavour to this classic cocktail. 

Perfect flavour matches

• Strawberry and chocolate 
• Raspberry and coconut 
• Blueberry and lemon 
• Blackberry and gin