Let’s be honest. Who doesn’t love the taste of at least one berry from the spectrum of colours and shapes available? Either way, if you don’t love how they taste, then I’m sure you will love the way they look. Something that tastes so wonderfully fresh, that grows straight from the ground.

Berries are just fantastic to work with and offer truly endless possibilities in the kitchen

And it’s not just berries – any fruit or vegetable really is something to marvel at, when you think that it all came from a simple seed and some soil.

For those of you who prefer a less philosophical approach, you will be happy to know that berries are just fantastic to work with and offer truly endless possibilities in the kitchen. From a simple summer spread to a tea-time treat, to a real showstopper of a classic dessert, let’s take a look at four possible treats that you can make for any occasion.

Greek yoghurt and strawberry Eton mess

Per person:
1 cup full fat Greek yoghurt
1 tsp caster sugar
200g strawberries, fresh or frozen
2 tbsp cranberry jelly
1 tbsp golden caster sugar
Store-bought mini meringues, broken into little pieces
A handful of fresh blueberries, washed

Wash and hull your strawberries and place them in a heavy-based saucepan, tossed in the golden caster sugar and placed over a medium heat. Leave to bubble away on a lower heat and mix occasionally. Add the cranberry jelly. This will eventually form a thick, deep red sauce. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

Whip the Greek yoghurt together with the teaspoon of caster sugar, until totally smooth and only slightly thickened. Gather all components: yoghurt, compôte, berries and meringues. In individual serving glasses, layer the different components alternately around three times over. Top with a sprig of mint and serve immediately.

Moreish custard with berries

Mixed seasonal berries of your choice
5 large, class A egg yolks
1 heaped tsp cornflour
370ml boiling milk
1 vanilla pod
2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Heat the milk in a pot over low heat or in the microwave. Cut open the vanilla pod lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Save the pod.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks together with the sugar to ripple stage, when they’re pale yellow. Whisk in the cornflour. Trickle the boiling milk into the egg mix to slowly heat the eggs and prevent them from cooking too fast and curdling, constantly whisking.

Empty the bowl into a heavy-based saucepan and turn onto a very low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Add the vanilla seeds and pod. This will slowly begin to thicken. Do not leave on the heat without stirring, as the egg may curdle and coagulate at the bottom of the pan. Put the custard through a fine sieve to remove the vanilla pod.

Serve the custard cooled in a deep plate with berries in or around... be creative and make the recipe your own. If you want that extra bit of a moreish taste, feel free to add some double cream to your berries and custard.

Mixed berry Victoria sponge

240g self-raising flour
240g unsalted butter at room temperature
240g golden caster sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Seeds, scraped from 1 vanilla pod

Very fresh mixed berries, preferably blueberries and strawberries

250ml freshly-whipped cream
Good quality strawberry jam

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease and line two 20cm tins.

Sift the baking powder together with the flour in a mixing bowl. Add the butter and sugar and beat in until well incorporated. Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract. Once this has formed a smooth batter, fold in your prepared vanilla seeds, split between the two tins and bake for 25-28 minutes. It should just take about half an hour, but certainly no longer. Once ready, remove from the oven and turn out onto a wire rack to cool down to room temperature.

Sandwich the two cakes together using half the cream and the strawberry jam. Spread the remaining cream on top of the second layer, placing the berries on top, ensuring that each slice gets a nice helping of berries.

Blueberry and Vanilla loaf

130g self-raising flour
200g golden caster sugar
60g cold margarine
1 egg at room temperature
1 tsp baking powder
120ml full fat milk
1 tsp vanilla sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
A good handful of fresh blueberries
Some extract of vanilla sugar for dusting

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease a loaf tin with some unsalted butter and set aside.

Cream the margarine and sugar till smooth and grainy. Sift the flour and baking powder together in a bowl and set aside. Beat in the egg and milk alternately. Beat in the flour mix, vanilla sugar and vanilla extract. Once this is all well incorporated, fold in your blueberries and bake in the preheated oven in the top shelf for up to 25 minutes until slightly browned on top. Leave to cool in the tin for up to five minutes, then turn out onto a cool rack, dust with vanilla sugar and serve.

Will keep for up to three days in an airtight tin.

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