Blackberry picking around Burgess Hill

Blackberries seem to be ripening early this year and there are many juicy black ones to be found around Burgess Hill. So why not enjoy this free activity in the fresh air and make something delicious afterwards? There's a recipe below to get you started.

So, where can they be found? There were an abundance of ripe blackberries around Bedelands Nature Reserve yesterday and many just off the path which goes over the railway line and pops out opposite Cants Lane on Junction Road.

Another place where they're starting to ripen but are a little behind is the country lane off the B2112 linking to Ditchling Common Country Park. Give it a week or two and there should be lots of lovely gems here too.

So, what will you do with all your blackberries? Share your blackberry ideas and recipes here.

To make some lovely blackberry muffins:

1 cup plain yoghurt

100ml veg oil

2 eggs

2 1/4 cups plain flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 cup soft brown sugar

2tsp vanilla extract

2 cups blackberries washed

Finely sliced apple wedges if you have them to decorate and cinnamon sugar

Preheat oven to 180C/Gas 4. Line muffin tin with paper cases.

Whisk the yoghurt, veg oil, eggs and vanilla extract until combined in a bowl.

In a different bowl, sift the flour and baking powder. Add the brown sugar and blackberries to the flour mix. Stir lightly to mix the berries through the flour. Then add the yoghurt mixture and fold together.

Spoon into muffin cases. You may want to decorate the tops with either a blackberry or three thin apple slices fanned out. Sprinkle with a bit of cinnamon sugar if you have it or brown sugar.

Bake for 25 minutes or until the tops are golden. If you insert a skewer and it comes out clean then they're cooked.

Enjoy!