Berry Blog

We love berries. We eat them every day. Sometimes we cook them, sometimes we eat them straight out of the packet. This blog is our way of sharing and showing off some of the ways we use our berries. We've prepared the recipes in our test kitchen - which doubles as our staff kitchen. We hope you enjoy these recipes and ideas as much as we do.

Orchard Gold Blueberry Raspberry Brownies

 
I know that we see 'Treat Yo Self' everywhere, but maybe that's a good thing? It's incredibly hard to deny yourself every sweet thing - especially on special occasions (birthdays, anniversaries, graduations...). So instead of saying no, say the occasional yes to a healthier version! 
 

Raspberry Blueberry Chocolate Brownie
 




Orchard Gold Blueberry Raspberry Brownies
 

80g reduced fat spread, melted
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 milk, trim
1 banana
1/3 cup dark cocoa powder
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup self raising flour
50g chocolate buttons
50g white chocolate buttons
75g Orchard Gold Blueberries
75g Orchard Gold Raspberries
 

1. Mix together the spread and sugar, before beating in the eggs.
2. Fold in the milk, banana, cocoa, and flours and then the chocolates and berries until just combined.
3. Pour the mixture into a lined 20cm tin and bake for 25 mins at 180°C, or until it is firm to the touch. 

 

Find our Orchard Gold Berries at all leading supermarkets
and don't forget to follow us on Instagram @orchardgoldberries
 
 

Orchard Gold Wild Blueberry Snowballs

 
We've all experienced that drop in energy (and motivation!) a couple of hours after lunch. It's hard not to grab the nearest snack food and devour it. Unfortunately, often the nearest snack food is not the healthiest! These little balls of goodness will give you an awesome boost of energy and are far healthier than that chocolate bar... Best of all, this recipe is quick and easy - it's all over before it even starts!
 

Blueberry Snowballs edited
 



Orchard Gold Wild Blueberry Snowballs
 

1 cup The Smoothie Collection Naked Wild Blueberries (thawed)
12 dates
1/2 cup chia seeds
1/2 cup almond butter
1 cup oats
Handful of desicated coconut
 

1. Thaw out some wild blueberries, keeping any juice that leaks out of the berries.
2. In a food processor, blitz up the dates before adding in all other ingredients, except the coconut.
3. Pulse the processor to blend together the ingredients. 
4. Hand roll the mixture into small balls before rolling in coconut to coat.
5. Refrigerate for about an hour before devouring.
 

Find our Orchard Gold Berries at all leading supermarkets
and don't forget to follow us on Instagram @orchardgoldberries
 

Orchard Gold Blueberry and Lemon Cake

 
While we're sure this is meant to be a lovely tea cake, it is also a superbly light birthday cake! Who doesn't gorge themselves on their birthday? It's one of the few days a year that you can do so, guilt-free. But, doesn't anyone experience that 'over full' feeling that means you can't really enjoy the cake?? What a waste! That's where this simple cake saves the day. It is much lighter than a chocolate mud cake, but is just as scrumptious! 
 

Blueberry Lemon Cake-858
 

Orchard Gold Blueberry and Lemon Cake

2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup light sour cream
2/3 cup melted butter
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups self-raising flour
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 Tbsp lemon zest
2 cups Orchard Gold Supreme Blueberries
1 Tbsp corn flour
1/2 tsp lemon juice

1. Light grease or line a round cake tin and preheat oven to 180˚C and thaw the blueberries.
2. Beat together eggs and sugar for about 5 minutes or until lightened in colour and thick.
3. At a low speed, beat in the sour cream, melted butter, and vanilla until well combined.
4. Add in the self raising flour, 1/3 at a time, gently mixing between each addition, adding in the lemon juice and zest with the last third. Be careful not to over mix.
5. Drain any excess juice from the thawed blueberries and coat with corn flour and lemon juice, mixing until well combined.
6. Pour half of the cake batter into the cake tin and spread out gently with a spatula. Spinkle half the blueberries over the batter. Spread the remaining batter and top with the remaining blueberries, pushing them slightly into the batter.
7. Bake for 45 - 55 mins. Let the cake rest in the tin for 15 mins, before removing to cool completely.

Sprinkle with icing sugar and serve with a dollop of greek yoghurt.

Find our Orchard Gold Berries at all leading supermarkets
and don't forget to follow us on Instagram @orchardgoldberries
 

Orchard Gold Premium Mixed Berries Butter
with French Toast

 
We thought we'd use some of the last warm, sunny weather for a well deserved Sunday Brunch! What says 'brunch' more than some delicious French Toast? And what goes more with French Toast than berries?! ... Nothing. 

This berry butter is so simple to make, but adds so much to your standard french toast. Even if you are not a butter person (myself included!), the berry butter has so much berry flavour, you forget there's actual butter mixed in!
 
Berry Butter with French Toast
Orchard Gold Premium Mixed Berries Butter with French Toast

150g butter, softened not melted

½ cup Orchard Gold Premium Mixed Berries

½ baguette (can be a few days old!)

½ cup milk

2 eggs

½ tsp cinnamon

1 Tbsp sugar

1. Beat the softened butter, then stir in the berries until just combined. Turn the butter out onto plastic wrap laid over a sheet of tinfoil. Wrap the butter up and twist the ends, twisting the butter into a taut, tube shape. Put in the freezer for 30mins to firm up.
2. Cut up the baguette, either in circle or long, diagonal shapes. In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, sugar, and cinnamon.
3. Soak the baguette slices in the egg mixture for a few seconds before placing in a hot, buttered pan. Fry on each side for 2-3 minutes, or until golden brown.
4. Serve the French toast with slices of berry butter, topped with extra berries, Greek yoghurt, and a drizzle of maple syrup. 
 

Find our Orchard Gold Berries at all leading supermarkets
and don't forget to follow us on Instagram @orchardgoldberries
 

Orchard Gold Blueberry Crumble Bars

 
Now that the weather is cooling down, we're excited to have an excellent reason to eat warm desserts again (you have to warm up somehow, right??) ! These blueberry crumble bars are quite versatile. They're good for a morning/afternoon tea with visiting friends and family, but they're also perfect for dessert with some vanilla ice cream, while binge watching Netflix, under a warm blanket! 

They're so easy to make; you only have to use one bowl! In an airtight container, the bars will last about 10 days in the fridge. But we're sure they'll be gone long before then!
 
Blueberry Crumble Bars edited 2-683


Orchard Gold Blueberry Crumble Bars
Crumble and Crust
1/2 cup melted butter
1 cup flour
3/4 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup soft brown sugar

Blueberry Filling
2 cups Orchard Gold Blueberries
1/3 cup white sugar
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp cornflour

 
1. Preheat oven to 180°C and line a flat pan, about 20cm x 20cm.
2. To make the crumble and crust, in a large bowl, mix butter, flour, oats, and sugar together. The mixture should be like sand, with some larger crumble pieces. 
3. Put 1 cup of crumble aside (for the top crumble), and press the remaining crumble into your pan quite firmly.
3. To make the blueberry filling, in the same (now empty) bowl, stir the blueberries, sugar, lemon juice, and cornflour until the blueberries are well coated. Pour the bluberries, and any liquid sugar in the bowl, evenly over the crumble base. 
4. Take the crumble that was put aside and sprinkle over the blueberry filling evenly. 
5. Bake for 55 minutes or until the crumble is pale golden and the filling has 'set'. Allow the bars to cool completely before cutting. 


 
Find our Orchard Gold Berries at all leading supermarkets
and don't forget to follow us on Instagram @orchardgoldberries
 
 
 

Orchard Gold Super Fruits Berry Curd

 
Curd is an amazing thing. Both sweet and sour, creamy and fruity, it can really add some wow factor to a standard baked good! We made our berry curd with our Orchard Gold Super Fruits Mixed Berries. The blackcurrants in this mix are quite a sour berry, so it balances perfectly with the sweeter blueberries and sugar in the curd. As curd is quite a sweet thing, we paired it with a plain scone, but we know it would taste good - maybe even better- with some vanilla ice cream!
 
Berry curd with scones




Orchard Gold Super Fruits Berry Curd
3 1/2 cups Orchard Gold Super Fruits Mixed Berries
2/3 cup white sugar
1 Tbsp cornflour
2 Tbsp lemon juice
3 eggs
1 Tbsp butter
 
1. Defrost the berries in the microwave, then place the berries in a blend and blend until smooth. To ensure a smooth curd, remove the seeds by pressing the puree through a fine mesh sieve over a medium bowl. Throw the seeds out. You'll need a cup of seedless puree; anything extra can be kept in the fridge for another day.
2. In a saucepan, whisk together sugar and cornflour then stir in the puree, lemon juice and eggs. Over a medium heat, bring the puree to a boil, whisking constantly. Once at a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 1 minute, or until the curd is thick. 
3. Once thick, remove from heat and whisk in the butter. Leave to cool slightly, before spooning into a container to cool further in the fridge. Refrigerate overnight before using.
 
Find our Orchard Gold Berries at all leading supermarkets
and don't forget to follow us on Instagram @orchardgoldberries
 
 
 
Email me when new posts are made to this blog

Christmas Raspberry Tartlets

Written by Saskia on December 18th, 2015.      0 comments

Isn't it amazing how quickly the year goes? Christmas is right around the corner and we couldn't be more excited! We love spending Christmas Day with family, friends, and of course, good food. 

The festive season is always filled with holiday parties and dinners. Here is a some delicious Raspberry Tartlets, a perfect finish to the feast.
If you find yourself running out of time, as we all do at this time of the year, buy some ready made tartlets cases instead. 

Christmas Raspberry Tartlets:

Pastry:
150g Flour
100g Butter
2 Tbsp White Sugar
1 egg
20g melted Dark Chocolate Chips

Raspberry Filling:
1 cup Orchard Gold Raspberries
100g melted Butter
100g Caster Sugar
3 lightly whisked Eggs

Raspberry Tartlets-620
1. Preheat oven to 180degC.
2. For the pastry, in a food processor, mix together the flour butter and sugar until it looks like find breadcrumbs. Add in the egg and continue processing until it forms a dough.
3. Roll out the dough on a lightly flour coated bench. Cut the dough to line a 24 mini muffin tray and place a second mini muffin tray on top. Bake in the oven for 15 mins. Tip the trays upside down and remove the top tray. Return the bottom tray to the oven for another 5 mins.
4. For the Raspberry filling, puree the raspberries in a food processor and pass the puree through a sieve to remove the seeds. Add in the melted butter, sugar and eggs and place in a bowl over simmering water. Cook for 15 mins, stirring occasionally (to avoid overcooking the eggs!) until it is thick and 'sticks' to the back of the spoon. Remove from the heat and cool completely.
5. Before serving, coat the tartlet cases with a layer of melted chocolate chips and add a dollop of raspberry filling. Garnish with some extra raspberries and enjoy!


Find our Orchard Gold Berries at all leading supermarkets

 

Raspberry Chocolate Cake

Written by Saskia on November 27th, 2015.      0 comments

Is there any better combination than berries and chocolate? We all love to have a balance of healthy foods and 'sometimes' foods in our lives, so why not try this delicious balance of Orchard Gold Raspberries and chocolate?

Raspberry Chocolate Cake

80g butter, melted
1/2 cup soft brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup trim milk
1/3 cup cocoa powder
3/4 cup plain flour
1/2 cup self raising flour
50g dark chocolate chips
150g Orchard Gold Raspberries

 
1. Preheat oven to 180°
2. Beat together the melted butter and the brown sugar with a wooden spoon. Add
in the eggs and beat until well combined.
3.Fold in the flours, cocoa and milk until just combined and then gently mix in the chocolate chips and the Raspberries.

4.Spoon the mixture into a medium sized greased tin and bake for 30 mins or until the cake is firm to the touch.
5. Serve dusted with icing sugar (or heated with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream!).
Rasp and Banana Choc Brownie-723-654

We love this cake because it is not overpoweringly sweet - it's the perfect balance!

Find our Orchard Gold Berries at all leading supermarkets.

 

 

Raspberry and Chocolate Ganache

Written by Saskia on October 30th, 2015.      0 comments

After Labour weekend, it always feels like summer is really beginning. We love summer. Swimming at the beach, BBQs on the deck, jandal tan lines... What's not to love? With summer also comes gatherings of friends and families. This is a great recipe to impress. 

1/3 cup heavy cream
1 cup semi sweet milk chocolate chips
1/4 cup raspberry jam
1/2 cup Orchard Gold Luscious Raspberries
2 tablespoons butter


In a small saucepan bring the cream to a simmer and remove from heat.
Add all other ingredients and stir until the chocolate chips have melted then whisk the mixture until it is smooth.
Allow to cool completely and then whip with an electric mixer to the desired spreading consistency.


This is a Raspberry and Chocolate Ganache layered Victorian sponge cake, topped off with some more delicious Orchard Gold Raspberries.
Rasp Choc Cake with Ganache-139

Find our Orchard Gold Berries at all leading supermarkets.

 

 

Orchard Gold Blueberry Crumble Cake

Written by Saskia on August 28th, 2015.      0 comments

Spring is nearly upon us! Not only are we starting to see daffodils popping up everywhere, but the days are getting lighter and the weather a little bit warmer everyday. We are ready for summer!

But before the weather gets too warm, we thought we would sneak in one more 'wintry' recipe. This Blueberry Crumble Cake works well with the cross over of seasons and it's perfect for a morning or afternoon tea with a hot cuppa!

1 cup white sugar
3 cups plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
250g margarine/softened butter
1 egg
1/2 cup white sugar
3 teaspoons cornflour
4 cups Orchard Gold Supreme Blueberries


6. Bake for 40 minutes, or until the top is slightly brown. Allow
5. Crumble the rest of the base mixture over the berries.
4. In another bowl, mix in sugar, cornflour, and blueberries. Stir gently until the berries are lightly coated, then spread evenly over the base.
3. With a fork, blend in the margarine/butter and egg until it forms a crumbly dough like texture In a greased tray, place half of the crumble mixture and pat down to form the base.
2. In a bowl, stir together sugar, flour, baking powder, and cinnamon.
1. Preheat oven to 190 degrees
to cool before cutting.



blueberry crumble2-803
 
Serving Suggestion: Serve with a dollop of Greek yoghurt or freshly whipped cream!

Yum! Find our Orchard Gold Berries at all leading supermarkets.


 
 

Warm Mixed Berry Compote

Written by Saskia on June 12th, 2015.      0 comments

As the weather gets colder, we love to find different ways to  warm up. A great way is by adding a warm berry compote to your dessert! Compotes are super easy to make and are a great way to top off your winter dessert or pudding. Or to add some more excitement to your morning waffles...

Warm Berry Compote:
1/4 tsp Cinnamon
3 Tbsp Orange Juice (instead of sugar)
3 cups Orchard Gold frozen berries, of your choice 

Add all ingredients into a small saucepan and 
place over a low heat.
Once bubbling, reduce the heat and cook for a further 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally with a spoon to break up the fruit.
For this compote, I went with the Orchard Gold Premium Mixed Berries.

Mixed Berry Compote 2 -345-400-660

BE IN TO WIN!

 
This fantastic waffle maker is so easy to use. What a great way to start your weekend - waffles and a compote made from your favourite Orchard Gold Berries!

 and be in to win a waffle maker by Cuisinart! 
info@orchardgold.co.nzThis month, we have a great competition for you to enter. Just email in your favourite way to use your Orchard Gold Frozen Berries during winter to 

Your recipe could even be featured on our blog!

Entries close 31st July 2015.
See our Terms and Conditions here
waffle maker comp photo-23
 

Mixed Berry Pecan Crisp

Written by Saskia on May 19th, 2015.      0 comments

It's official. Summer is over and the cooler weather is starting to take over. As sad as it is to see Winter's arrival and the departure of the outside BBQing, we can't help but get excited over winter desserts! The cold weather is always a good excuse for a warm crumble, pie or pudding. Recently, we found this great recipe for a Mixed Berry Pecan Crisp.

Its easy to make and even easier to eat!

 
Ingredients:
  • 1 cup rolled oats
  • 1 cup pecan halves (about ¾ cup chopped)
  • ½ cup plain flour
  • ½ cup desiccated coconut
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ⅓ cup maple syrup or raw honey
  • 4 cups Orchard Gold Premium Mixed Berries
 
Instructions:
 
  1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.
  2. Chop up the pecans and combine with the oats, flour, coconut, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl.
  3. Add the olive oil and maple syrup and stir until well mixed. 
  4. Grease a medium square baking dish and arrange the berries in the bottom. Top with the oat mixture.
  5. Bake for 25-35 minutes or until the top is golden brown and has firmed up slightly.
  6. Serve while warm. You can serve it with some vanilla ice cream or cream, as desired, or lightly dust the top with icing sugar.
 
Oat & Pecan Berry Crisp 19

Don't forget to follow us on Instagram!

Instagram @OrchardGoldBerries  

 

ANZAC Day Blueberries

Written by Saskia on April 24th, 2015.      0 comments

We love our Orchard Gold Supreme Blueberries. How could you not with these great health benefits?!

 
According to new research out of the U.S., Blueberries have even more great health benefits. the clinical trial showed that eating a cup of Blueberries, every day, can help to reduce your blood pressure and arterial stiffness. 
Arterial stiffness, often developed from hypertension, can lead to cardiovascular problems further down the line.

In addtion to their low GI index and high antioxidant benefits, did we really need another reason to dive into some Blueberries?

You can use your Orchard Gold Supreme Blueberries to flavour you morning porridge, surprise your children with a homemade blueberry muffin in their lunches, or better yet, eat the Blueberries as a healthy snack, straight from the packet!

Check out the research at: http://www.andjrnl.org/article/S2212-2672(14)01633-5/abstract
03 Blueberries Spoon W
 
Here is a fun and easy ANZAC Blueberry Muffin recipe for the long weekend!

This recipe makes about 18 muffins.

Ingredients:
1 cup standard flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup dessicated coconut
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup wholemeal flour
1 cup soft brown sugar
1 cup Orchard Gold Supreme Blueberries

2 eggs
60g melted butter
1 cup milk
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup golden syrup

Preheat your oven to 190 degrees and grease/line muffin trays.
In a large bowl combine flour, baking powder, coconut, oats, wholemeal flour, brown sugar and stir in the blueberries.
In a separate bowl whisk the eggs and then stir in the butter, milk, baking soda and golden syrup.
Fold the wet ingredients into the dry. Mix very gently until just combined and spoon into muffin trays.
Bake for about 12-15 mins (depending on your oven), until golden and the top of the muffins spring back when gently pushed.

A great morning tea dish to serve and they also freeze well, so you can pop them in the kids lunches during the week!

Have a happy long weekend!

ANZAC Blueberry Muffins-971
 

Quick and Easy Weekend Smoothie

Written by Saskia on April 17th, 2015.      0 comments

At the end of a busy week, a smoothie is a quick and easy way to re energise yourself for the weekend ahead. They are so easy to make and are filled with healthy goodness that will make you to want to seize the day!

This is a delicious smoothie, ready to drink in only 5 minutes
Just add:
- approx. 1/2 cup Orchard Gold Smoothie Mixed Berries
- half a banana
- 1/2 cup of milk/juice, whichever you prefer
into a blender and process until everything is chopped up and well mixed together.

You can also play around with what you add into your smoothie. Try mixing in a cut up apple, peaches, nectarines or an orange. Smoothies are one of the easiest things to make and it is hard to go wrong!

I love to use sugar-free Cranberry Juice as my liquid. Berries are naturally quite sweet. I find the Cranberry Juice enhances the berry flavour of the smoothie, without over sweetening it. 

Over the weekend, why don't you check out our Instagram page? Lots of great ways to use you Orchard Gold Berries and you can keep up with the lastest from Orchard Gold.

Follow us on Instagram:

Instagram @OrchardGoldBerries  
smoothie 17
 
 

Raspberry Clafouti

Written by Trisha and Saskia on March 31st, 2015.      0 comments

Here's a quick and tasty dessert for Easter.  Also great to make with the kids in the school holidays.  A clafouti is a French dessert - usually made with cherries, but we've used Orchard Gold Raspberries.  It is topped with a pancake mix and baked. Enjoy.

 
Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter, melted
⅓ cup sugar
½ cup flour
3 large eggs
1 cup milk
2 cups Orchard Gold frozen raspberries

 
 
Raspberry Clafouti-448
Method:
Preheat oven to 180°C.
Grease or spray a 23cm pie dish.
Sprinkle the Orchard Gold raspberries on the base of the dish.
In a large jug whisk the remaining ingredients together to a smooth puree.
Pour this over the raspberries.
Bake for 40-45 minutes until golden brown and set in the centre.
Remove from the oven and rest for 10 minutes.
Slice and serve dusted with icing sugar.
 

Orchard Gold frozen berries are available at your local supermarket ...


 
 

Orchard Gold Berries - boost your energy coming into the Christmas period

Written by Trisha on November 27th, 2014.      0 comments

We're all flat out this time of year.  End of school term, preparations for Christmas, organizing summer holidays ... why we do all three things at the same time beats me!

What we need is a good pick-me-up.  Orchard Gold berries added to smoothies, fruit juices, and simple desserts are just the ticket.  Try one of these when your energy is flagging:

 

03 Blueberries Spoon W
 

Orchard Gold blueberries - straight from the pack.  Try a couple of tablespoonfuls. Sweet and juicy.  An instant lift.

Blueberries and Yoghurt W

Orchard Gold berries with yoghurt.  Spoon a few dollops of yoghurt into a pretty glass, top with Orchard Gold berries ... any variety will be fine.  Leave for a few minutes for the berries to start to thaw, then spoon through the yoghurt.  




Berry Ice Blocks

 

Make up some berry ice blocks - place frozen berries into ice block trays or plastic ice blocks, top up with apple juice, put a stick in if required, and freeze.  

berry-smoothie 2

A berry smoothie will always do the trick.  For delicious smoothie recipes using Orchard Gold berries check out these ideas ...  http://www.ffowcs.co.nz/Recipes/Recipes+
using+ORCHARD+GOLD+frozen+berries/Orchard+
Gold+Berry+Smoothie.html
 

Berries with Limoncello

 

Come evening, pour some sparkling wine over your Orchard Gold berries and relax.

Iced Berries with sauce-18

Better yet, try one of Nigella's recipes with frozen Orchard Gold berries, limoncello and white chocolate.  The recipe is here ... 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/
iced_berries_with_63709

 


 
Topics: Orchard Gold
 

Blueberry Crumpets ... with Orchard Gold or Trader Tom's Organic Blueberries

Written by Trisha on October 28th, 2014.      0 comments

We had some delicious blueberry crumpets while on holiday at a cafe recently ... Cafe Reka in the Dowse Art Museum in Lower Hutt ... they were fantastic. Served with grilled bacon and banana, and a little maple syrup.  
That got us thinking about crumpets and how to cook them and how best to incorporate the blueberries. Here's our first attempt ... they didn't last long.
 

Blueberry Crumpets
 

Ingredients:

125 ml milk
125 ml water
2 tsp caster sugar
2 tsp dried yeast (not breadmaker yeast)
1½ cups plain flour
½ tsp salt
½ tsp baking soda

125ml warm water
2 cups Orchard Gold or Trader Tom's organic blueberries
Blueberry Crumpet 1-948
 

milk and water and bringing it up to room temperature by heating gently. (If you heat it too much the yeast won't work.) Add the sugar and stir until it is dissolved. Sprinkle the yeast over the liquid, then mix in. Leave in a warm place for about 10 minutes, until it is frothy.the theMake the yeast starter by mixing

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Add the yeast starter when it is ready, and stir until the mixture forms a dough. Cover with a clean cloth and set in a warm place to rise for 45-50 minutes, until doubled in size.

Mix the baking soda into the last lot of warm water. Whisk this into the dough until it has formed a batter. Cover again and leave to rest for 30 minutes.

Heat a large frying pan or hotplate on a medium-low heat and grease it with oil or butter. Also grease the crumpet rings. (We used egg rings as we didn't have anything else ... they were fine, but made smaller crumpets than bought ones). Place the rings into the pan and pour a tablespoon of batter into each ring. Sprinkle several blueberries - we used 5-6 per crumpet on the batter, then top with some more batter, so that it comes up to the top of the ring - about 1cm high. Cook for about 4-5 minutes until bubbles appear and pop, and the top is slightly dry. Remove the rings and turn the crumpets over to cook the other side for 1-2 minutes.  

Serve drizzled with maple syrup or a little icing sugar.

How do you make crumpets?  What other berries would be great in the mix?

 
 

Get your new Spring on - with Orchard Gold Berry Smoothies

Written by Trisha on September 30th, 2014.      0 comments

With Spring in our step, we've been trying out some new smoothie recipes.  Here's a link to them, and what we think:

Beetroot, Apple and Berry Smoothie - Nadia Lim - featured in 

http://www.bite.co.nz/recipe/10535/Beetroot-apple-and-berry-smoothie/ 
 

Beetroot, Apple, Berry Smoothie W   We think:  Yum - our new favourite!

 

Very Berry Smoothie - featured in http://www.sanitarium.co.nz/recipes/very-berry-smoothie 

Using frozen berries, cranberry juice, So Good Lite and So Good Vanilla frozen dessert.

 

Very Berry Smoothie W  We think:  great for those of us with dairy allergens.

 

Super Berry Smoothie - featured in http://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/food-wine/recipes/8168171/Recipe-Super-berry-smoothie

Using frozen berries, goji berries, yoghurt, ground linseed, apple, water, and honey or stevia.

berry-smoothie 2   We think:  Mmmmm. Great taste, and good for you.

 

And the tried and true:  Claire's Wonder Smoothie, from Claire Turnbull's book "Lose Weight for Life".  See http://www.claireturnbull.co.nz/green-smoothie-combos/#more-1381

With frozen blueberries, trim milk or water, vanilla protein powder or yoghurt, spinach, ground LSA and cinnamon. 

Blueberry Smoothie   We think:  Our favourite of all smoothies ... all that goodness in a glass!

Get your new Spring on, with Orchard Gold Berry Smoothies.

 

Jam with Orchard Gold Berries

Written by Trisha on August 29th, 2014.      0 comments

We've been making jams with Orchard Gold berries.  And of course we've been testing them!  

How do we like berry jam?   On crunchy toast or hot buttered crumpets; mixed into a pottle of plain yoghurt; warmed over ice cream; on pikelets or pancakes.
 

Here are some of the jams we've made ... do try them.
 


Blueberry Jam (Trisha's favourite)
500g Orchard Gold Blueberries
1 tablespoon lemon juice
500g sugar

Simmer the Blueberries for about 5 minutes in a large saucepan. Add the lemon juice, then the sugar, and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Boil the jam steadily until it reaches setting point.  

Sterilize jars and lids.  Pour into the jars and seal while hot.
 
 

Trisha's Blueberry Jam

Miranda's Raspberry Jam
Raspberry Jam (Miranda's favourite)

500g Orchard Gold Raspberries
500g sugar
Juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon butter

Place raspberries and sugar in a large saucepan and bring to the boil slowly, stirring to dissolve the sugar.  Add the lemon juice and butter.  Boil steadily for about 10 minutes, then test for setting. 

Sterilize jars and lids.  Pour jam into jars and seal while hot.

Mixed Berry Jam (Scott's favourite)

500g Orchard Gold Mixed Berries
500g sugar

Place the Orchard Gold Mixed Berries and sugar in a large saucepan and bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar.  If desired, mash the berries to break up the bigger berries, but they will turn pulpy while the jam is cooking.

Boil steadily for 10 minutes then test for setting.

Sterilize jars and lids.  Pour jam into jars and seal while hot.

Scott's Mixed Berry Jam
 

To test for setting, remove the jam from the heat and place a tablespoon of jam on a saucer. Put the saucer in the fridge for a couple of minutes, then remove from the fridge.  Run your finger through the jam and if the jam leaves wrinkles on the surface on either side, then it will be ready.  If not, return to the heat and boil for another five minutes then test again.
 

 

Warm Winter Ways with Orchard Gold berries

Written by Trisha on July 31st, 2014.      0 comments

We all enjoy eating berries - most of us eat them every day - breakfast, smoothies, after workouts, baking, desserts.  In mid-winter when the options for fresh fruit seem limited to apples, kiwifruit, bananas and pears (all good fruits too) frozen berries come into their own. No waste, always available, always good for you.

Our favourite way to eat Orchard Gold berries is just straight out of the pack.  Here are some of the other things we've been doing with Orchard Gold frozen berries this week:

 
BREAKFAST:

Raspberries and Coconut Cream
Blueberries on porridge
Mixed Berries on Cereal with Almond Milk

Porridge with Berries

SMOOTHIES:
Berry Smoothies  

berry-smoothie 2

DESSERTS:
Warm Berry Compote with crepes and
 yoghurt  

Mixed Berry Compote

BAKING:

Berry Plonk Cake Raspberry and White Chocolate Muffins

Berry Cake  

 

And it's only Thursday!  All the recipes are on our website.  Look under recipes.

Topics: Orchard Gold
 

Raspberry and Chocolate Pudding Cake

Written by Trisha on June 27th, 2014.      1 comments

Here's one of our all time favourites - it's based on Nigella Lawson's Chocolate Raspberry Pudding Cake from her first book "How to Eat".  This is a very runny mixture and it can leak through the bottom of the tin.  We recommend you line the base and sides with baking paper to prevent any leaks from the tin ... easier than cleaning the oven later, as we had to!!!  

RASPBERRY CHOCOLATE PUDDING CAKE
Ingredients:
185g self raising flour
30g cocoa powder
250g unsalted butter
1 tablespoon liqueur (raspberry or other)
95g caster sugar
95g dark brown sugar
250g dark chocolate
185ml black coffee and 185 ml water (or 370ml water with 2 teaspoons instant coffee)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
250g Orchard Gold raspberries

Raspberry and Chocolate Pudding Cake 1
Method:
Preheat the oven to 180oC. Butter a 22-23cm spring-sided cake tin and line the base and sides with one piece of baking paper - to prevent leaks.
Sift the flour and cocoa powder together in a bowl and set aside.  
In a heavy-based saucepan place the butter, liqueur, sugars, chocolate, coffee and water and stir over a low heat until everything is melted and is glossy, smooth and thick.
Stir this mixture into the sifted flour and cocoa.  Beat well until all smooth and glossy, then beat in the eggs. This will be runny - its meant to be! The chocolate sets as it cooks and then cools.
Pour about half the mixture into the prepared tin, cover with the raspberries, then pour the rest of the mixture over the top. If necessary poke the raspberries back down under the cake batter.
Put into the preheated oven and bake for 50-55 minutes. It will still be moist when cooked so a skewer will not come out clean.  When it is cooked the top will be firm and probably slightly cracked. Remove from the oven and put on a rack. Leave in the tin for 15 minutes, then turn out.  
Dust with a little icing sugar, serve with raspberry compote and ice cream or creme fraiche.

Other Orchard Gold berries can be used in this recipe - try Orchard Gold Super Fruits (blueberries, blackcurrants and raspberries) or Orchard Gold Blueberries.

 
Email me when new posts are made to this blog

Christmas Raspberry Tartlets

Written by Saskia on December 18th, 2015.      0 comments

Isn't it amazing how quickly the year goes? Christmas is right around the corner and we couldn't be more excited! We love spending Christmas Day with family, friends, and of course, good food. 

The festive season is always filled with holiday parties and dinners. Here is a some delicious Raspberry Tartlets, a perfect finish to the feast.
If you find yourself running out of time, as we all do at this time of the year, buy some ready made tartlets cases instead. 

Christmas Raspberry Tartlets:

Pastry:
150g Flour
100g Butter
2 Tbsp White Sugar
1 egg
20g melted Dark Chocolate Chips

Raspberry Filling:
1 cup Orchard Gold Raspberries
100g melted Butter
100g Caster Sugar
3 lightly whisked Eggs

Raspberry Tartlets-620
1. Preheat oven to 180degC.
2. For the pastry, in a food processor, mix together the flour butter and sugar until it looks like find breadcrumbs. Add in the egg and continue processing until it forms a dough.
3. Roll out the dough on a lightly flour coated bench. Cut the dough to line a 24 mini muffin tray and place a second mini muffin tray on top. Bake in the oven for 15 mins. Tip the trays upside down and remove the top tray. Return the bottom tray to the oven for another 5 mins.
4. For the Raspberry filling, puree the raspberries in a food processor and pass the puree through a sieve to remove the seeds. Add in the melted butter, sugar and eggs and place in a bowl over simmering water. Cook for 15 mins, stirring occasionally (to avoid overcooking the eggs!) until it is thick and 'sticks' to the back of the spoon. Remove from the heat and cool completely.
5. Before serving, coat the tartlet cases with a layer of melted chocolate chips and add a dollop of raspberry filling. Garnish with some extra raspberries and enjoy!


Find our Orchard Gold Berries at all leading supermarkets

 

Raspberry Chocolate Cake

Written by Saskia on November 27th, 2015.      0 comments

Is there any better combination than berries and chocolate? We all love to have a balance of healthy foods and 'sometimes' foods in our lives, so why not try this delicious balance of Orchard Gold Raspberries and chocolate?

Raspberry Chocolate Cake

80g butter, melted
1/2 cup soft brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup trim milk
1/3 cup cocoa powder
3/4 cup plain flour
1/2 cup self raising flour
50g dark chocolate chips
150g Orchard Gold Raspberries

 
1. Preheat oven to 180°
2. Beat together the melted butter and the brown sugar with a wooden spoon. Add
in the eggs and beat until well combined.
3.Fold in the flours, cocoa and milk until just combined and then gently mix in the chocolate chips and the Raspberries.

4.Spoon the mixture into a medium sized greased tin and bake for 30 mins or until the cake is firm to the touch.
5. Serve dusted with icing sugar (or heated with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream!).
Rasp and Banana Choc Brownie-723-654

We love this cake because it is not overpoweringly sweet - it's the perfect balance!

Find our Orchard Gold Berries at all leading supermarkets.

 

 

Raspberry and Chocolate Ganache

Written by Saskia on October 30th, 2015.      0 comments

After Labour weekend, it always feels like summer is really beginning. We love summer. Swimming at the beach, BBQs on the deck, jandal tan lines... What's not to love? With summer also comes gatherings of friends and families. This is a great recipe to impress. 

1/3 cup heavy cream
1 cup semi sweet milk chocolate chips
1/4 cup raspberry jam
1/2 cup Orchard Gold Luscious Raspberries
2 tablespoons butter


In a small saucepan bring the cream to a simmer and remove from heat.
Add all other ingredients and stir until the chocolate chips have melted then whisk the mixture until it is smooth.
Allow to cool completely and then whip with an electric mixer to the desired spreading consistency.


This is a Raspberry and Chocolate Ganache layered Victorian sponge cake, topped off with some more delicious Orchard Gold Raspberries.
Rasp Choc Cake with Ganache-139

Find our Orchard Gold Berries at all leading supermarkets.

 

 

Orchard Gold Blueberry Crumble Cake

Written by Saskia on August 28th, 2015.      0 comments

Spring is nearly upon us! Not only are we starting to see daffodils popping up everywhere, but the days are getting lighter and the weather a little bit warmer everyday. We are ready for summer!

But before the weather gets too warm, we thought we would sneak in one more 'wintry' recipe. This Blueberry Crumble Cake works well with the cross over of seasons and it's perfect for a morning or afternoon tea with a hot cuppa!

1 cup white sugar
3 cups plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
250g margarine/softened butter
1 egg
1/2 cup white sugar
3 teaspoons cornflour
4 cups Orchard Gold Supreme Blueberries


6. Bake for 40 minutes, or until the top is slightly brown. Allow
5. Crumble the rest of the base mixture over the berries.
4. In another bowl, mix in sugar, cornflour, and blueberries. Stir gently until the berries are lightly coated, then spread evenly over the base.
3. With a fork, blend in the margarine/butter and egg until it forms a crumbly dough like texture In a greased tray, place half of the crumble mixture and pat down to form the base.
2. In a bowl, stir together sugar, flour, baking powder, and cinnamon.
1. Preheat oven to 190 degrees
to cool before cutting.



blueberry crumble2-803
 
Serving Suggestion: Serve with a dollop of Greek yoghurt or freshly whipped cream!

Yum! Find our Orchard Gold Berries at all leading supermarkets.


 
 

Warm Mixed Berry Compote

Written by Saskia on June 12th, 2015.      0 comments

As the weather gets colder, we love to find different ways to  warm up. A great way is by adding a warm berry compote to your dessert! Compotes are super easy to make and are a great way to top off your winter dessert or pudding. Or to add some more excitement to your morning waffles...

Warm Berry Compote:
1/4 tsp Cinnamon
3 Tbsp Orange Juice (instead of sugar)
3 cups Orchard Gold frozen berries, of your choice 

Add all ingredients into a small saucepan and 
place over a low heat.
Once bubbling, reduce the heat and cook for a further 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally with a spoon to break up the fruit.
For this compote, I went with the Orchard Gold Premium Mixed Berries.

Mixed Berry Compote 2 -345-400-660

BE IN TO WIN!

 
This fantastic waffle maker is so easy to use. What a great way to start your weekend - waffles and a compote made from your favourite Orchard Gold Berries!

 and be in to win a waffle maker by Cuisinart! 
info@orchardgold.co.nzThis month, we have a great competition for you to enter. Just email in your favourite way to use your Orchard Gold Frozen Berries during winter to 

Your recipe could even be featured on our blog!

Entries close 31st July 2015.
See our Terms and Conditions here
waffle maker comp photo-23
 

Mixed Berry Pecan Crisp

Written by Saskia on May 19th, 2015.      0 comments

It's official. Summer is over and the cooler weather is starting to take over. As sad as it is to see Winter's arrival and the departure of the outside BBQing, we can't help but get excited over winter desserts! The cold weather is always a good excuse for a warm crumble, pie or pudding. Recently, we found this great recipe for a Mixed Berry Pecan Crisp.

Its easy to make and even easier to eat!

 
Ingredients:
  • 1 cup rolled oats
  • 1 cup pecan halves (about ¾ cup chopped)
  • ½ cup plain flour
  • ½ cup desiccated coconut
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ⅓ cup maple syrup or raw honey
  • 4 cups Orchard Gold Premium Mixed Berries
 
Instructions:
 
  1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.
  2. Chop up the pecans and combine with the oats, flour, coconut, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl.
  3. Add the olive oil and maple syrup and stir until well mixed. 
  4. Grease a medium square baking dish and arrange the berries in the bottom. Top with the oat mixture.
  5. Bake for 25-35 minutes or until the top is golden brown and has firmed up slightly.
  6. Serve while warm. You can serve it with some vanilla ice cream or cream, as desired, or lightly dust the top with icing sugar.
 
Oat & Pecan Berry Crisp 19

Don't forget to follow us on Instagram!

Instagram @OrchardGoldBerries  

 

ANZAC Day Blueberries

Written by Saskia on April 24th, 2015.      0 comments

We love our Orchard Gold Supreme Blueberries. How could you not with these great health benefits?!

 
According to new research out of the U.S., Blueberries have even more great health benefits. the clinical trial showed that eating a cup of Blueberries, every day, can help to reduce your blood pressure and arterial stiffness. 
Arterial stiffness, often developed from hypertension, can lead to cardiovascular problems further down the line.

In addtion to their low GI index and high antioxidant benefits, did we really need another reason to dive into some Blueberries?

You can use your Orchard Gold Supreme Blueberries to flavour you morning porridge, surprise your children with a homemade blueberry muffin in their lunches, or better yet, eat the Blueberries as a healthy snack, straight from the packet!

Check out the research at: http://www.andjrnl.org/article/S2212-2672(14)01633-5/abstract
03 Blueberries Spoon W
 
Here is a fun and easy ANZAC Blueberry Muffin recipe for the long weekend!

This recipe makes about 18 muffins.

Ingredients:
1 cup standard flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup dessicated coconut
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup wholemeal flour
1 cup soft brown sugar
1 cup Orchard Gold Supreme Blueberries

2 eggs
60g melted butter
1 cup milk
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup golden syrup

Preheat your oven to 190 degrees and grease/line muffin trays.
In a large bowl combine flour, baking powder, coconut, oats, wholemeal flour, brown sugar and stir in the blueberries.
In a separate bowl whisk the eggs and then stir in the butter, milk, baking soda and golden syrup.
Fold the wet ingredients into the dry. Mix very gently until just combined and spoon into muffin trays.
Bake for about 12-15 mins (depending on your oven), until golden and the top of the muffins spring back when gently pushed.

A great morning tea dish to serve and they also freeze well, so you can pop them in the kids lunches during the week!

Have a happy long weekend!

ANZAC Blueberry Muffins-971
 

Quick and Easy Weekend Smoothie

Written by Saskia on April 17th, 2015.      0 comments

At the end of a busy week, a smoothie is a quick and easy way to re energise yourself for the weekend ahead. They are so easy to make and are filled with healthy goodness that will make you to want to seize the day!

This is a delicious smoothie, ready to drink in only 5 minutes
Just add:
- approx. 1/2 cup Orchard Gold Smoothie Mixed Berries
- half a banana
- 1/2 cup of milk/juice, whichever you prefer
into a blender and process until everything is chopped up and well mixed together.

You can also play around with what you add into your smoothie. Try mixing in a cut up apple, peaches, nectarines or an orange. Smoothies are one of the easiest things to make and it is hard to go wrong!

I love to use sugar-free Cranberry Juice as my liquid. Berries are naturally quite sweet. I find the Cranberry Juice enhances the berry flavour of the smoothie, without over sweetening it. 

Over the weekend, why don't you check out our Instagram page? Lots of great ways to use you Orchard Gold Berries and you can keep up with the lastest from Orchard Gold.

Follow us on Instagram:

Instagram @OrchardGoldBerries  
smoothie 17
 
 

Raspberry Clafouti

Written by Trisha and Saskia on March 31st, 2015.      0 comments

Here's a quick and tasty dessert for Easter.  Also great to make with the kids in the school holidays.  A clafouti is a French dessert - usually made with cherries, but we've used Orchard Gold Raspberries.  It is topped with a pancake mix and baked. Enjoy.

 
Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter, melted
⅓ cup sugar
½ cup flour
3 large eggs
1 cup milk
2 cups Orchard Gold frozen raspberries

 
 
Raspberry Clafouti-448
Method:
Preheat oven to 180°C.
Grease or spray a 23cm pie dish.
Sprinkle the Orchard Gold raspberries on the base of the dish.
In a large jug whisk the remaining ingredients together to a smooth puree.
Pour this over the raspberries.
Bake for 40-45 minutes until golden brown and set in the centre.
Remove from the oven and rest for 10 minutes.
Slice and serve dusted with icing sugar.
 

Orchard Gold frozen berries are available at your local supermarket ...


 
 

Orchard Gold Berries - boost your energy coming into the Christmas period

Written by Trisha on November 27th, 2014.      0 comments

We're all flat out this time of year.  End of school term, preparations for Christmas, organizing summer holidays ... why we do all three things at the same time beats me!

What we need is a good pick-me-up.  Orchard Gold berries added to smoothies, fruit juices, and simple desserts are just the ticket.  Try one of these when your energy is flagging:

 

03 Blueberries Spoon W
 

Orchard Gold blueberries - straight from the pack.  Try a couple of tablespoonfuls. Sweet and juicy.  An instant lift.

Blueberries and Yoghurt W

Orchard Gold berries with yoghurt.  Spoon a few dollops of yoghurt into a pretty glass, top with Orchard Gold berries ... any variety will be fine.  Leave for a few minutes for the berries to start to thaw, then spoon through the yoghurt.  




Berry Ice Blocks

 

Make up some berry ice blocks - place frozen berries into ice block trays or plastic ice blocks, top up with apple juice, put a stick in if required, and freeze.  

berry-smoothie 2

A berry smoothie will always do the trick.  For delicious smoothie recipes using Orchard Gold berries check out these ideas ...  http://www.ffowcs.co.nz/Recipes/Recipes+
using+ORCHARD+GOLD+frozen+berries/Orchard+
Gold+Berry+Smoothie.html
 

Berries with Limoncello

 

Come evening, pour some sparkling wine over your Orchard Gold berries and relax.

Iced Berries with sauce-18

Better yet, try one of Nigella's recipes with frozen Orchard Gold berries, limoncello and white chocolate.  The recipe is here ... 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/
iced_berries_with_63709

 


 
Topics: Orchard Gold
 

Blueberry Crumpets ... with Orchard Gold or Trader Tom's Organic Blueberries

Written by Trisha on October 28th, 2014.      0 comments

We had some delicious blueberry crumpets while on holiday at a cafe recently ... Cafe Reka in the Dowse Art Museum in Lower Hutt ... they were fantastic. Served with grilled bacon and banana, and a little maple syrup.  
That got us thinking about crumpets and how to cook them and how best to incorporate the blueberries. Here's our first attempt ... they didn't last long.
 

Blueberry Crumpets
 

Ingredients:

125 ml milk
125 ml water
2 tsp caster sugar
2 tsp dried yeast (not breadmaker yeast)
1½ cups plain flour
½ tsp salt
½ tsp baking soda

125ml warm water
2 cups Orchard Gold or Trader Tom's organic blueberries
Blueberry Crumpet 1-948
 

milk and water and bringing it up to room temperature by heating gently. (If you heat it too much the yeast won't work.) Add the sugar and stir until it is dissolved. Sprinkle the yeast over the liquid, then mix in. Leave in a warm place for about 10 minutes, until it is frothy.the theMake the yeast starter by mixing

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Add the yeast starter when it is ready, and stir until the mixture forms a dough. Cover with a clean cloth and set in a warm place to rise for 45-50 minutes, until doubled in size.

Mix the baking soda into the last lot of warm water. Whisk this into the dough until it has formed a batter. Cover again and leave to rest for 30 minutes.

Heat a large frying pan or hotplate on a medium-low heat and grease it with oil or butter. Also grease the crumpet rings. (We used egg rings as we didn't have anything else ... they were fine, but made smaller crumpets than bought ones). Place the rings into the pan and pour a tablespoon of batter into each ring. Sprinkle several blueberries - we used 5-6 per crumpet on the batter, then top with some more batter, so that it comes up to the top of the ring - about 1cm high. Cook for about 4-5 minutes until bubbles appear and pop, and the top is slightly dry. Remove the rings and turn the crumpets over to cook the other side for 1-2 minutes.  

Serve drizzled with maple syrup or a little icing sugar.

How do you make crumpets?  What other berries would be great in the mix?

 
 

Get your new Spring on - with Orchard Gold Berry Smoothies

Written by Trisha on September 30th, 2014.      0 comments

With Spring in our step, we've been trying out some new smoothie recipes.  Here's a link to them, and what we think:

Beetroot, Apple and Berry Smoothie - Nadia Lim - featured in 

http://www.bite.co.nz/recipe/10535/Beetroot-apple-and-berry-smoothie/ 
 

Beetroot, Apple, Berry Smoothie W   We think:  Yum - our new favourite!

 

Very Berry Smoothie - featured in http://www.sanitarium.co.nz/recipes/very-berry-smoothie 

Using frozen berries, cranberry juice, So Good Lite and So Good Vanilla frozen dessert.

 

Very Berry Smoothie W  We think:  great for those of us with dairy allergens.

 

Super Berry Smoothie - featured in http://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/food-wine/recipes/8168171/Recipe-Super-berry-smoothie

Using frozen berries, goji berries, yoghurt, ground linseed, apple, water, and honey or stevia.

berry-smoothie 2   We think:  Mmmmm. Great taste, and good for you.

 

And the tried and true:  Claire's Wonder Smoothie, from Claire Turnbull's book "Lose Weight for Life".  See http://www.claireturnbull.co.nz/green-smoothie-combos/#more-1381

With frozen blueberries, trim milk or water, vanilla protein powder or yoghurt, spinach, ground LSA and cinnamon. 

Blueberry Smoothie   We think:  Our favourite of all smoothies ... all that goodness in a glass!

Get your new Spring on, with Orchard Gold Berry Smoothies.

 

Jam with Orchard Gold Berries

Written by Trisha on August 29th, 2014.      0 comments

We've been making jams with Orchard Gold berries.  And of course we've been testing them!  

How do we like berry jam?   On crunchy toast or hot buttered crumpets; mixed into a pottle of plain yoghurt; warmed over ice cream; on pikelets or pancakes.
 

Here are some of the jams we've made ... do try them.
 


Blueberry Jam (Trisha's favourite)
500g Orchard Gold Blueberries
1 tablespoon lemon juice
500g sugar

Simmer the Blueberries for about 5 minutes in a large saucepan. Add the lemon juice, then the sugar, and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Boil the jam steadily until it reaches setting point.  

Sterilize jars and lids.  Pour into the jars and seal while hot.
 
 

Trisha's Blueberry Jam

Miranda's Raspberry Jam
Raspberry Jam (Miranda's favourite)

500g Orchard Gold Raspberries
500g sugar
Juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon butter

Place raspberries and sugar in a large saucepan and bring to the boil slowly, stirring to dissolve the sugar.  Add the lemon juice and butter.  Boil steadily for about 10 minutes, then test for setting. 

Sterilize jars and lids.  Pour jam into jars and seal while hot.

Mixed Berry Jam (Scott's favourite)

500g Orchard Gold Mixed Berries
500g sugar

Place the Orchard Gold Mixed Berries and sugar in a large saucepan and bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar.  If desired, mash the berries to break up the bigger berries, but they will turn pulpy while the jam is cooking.

Boil steadily for 10 minutes then test for setting.

Sterilize jars and lids.  Pour jam into jars and seal while hot.

Scott's Mixed Berry Jam
 

To test for setting, remove the jam from the heat and place a tablespoon of jam on a saucer. Put the saucer in the fridge for a couple of minutes, then remove from the fridge.  Run your finger through the jam and if the jam leaves wrinkles on the surface on either side, then it will be ready.  If not, return to the heat and boil for another five minutes then test again.
 

 

Warm Winter Ways with Orchard Gold berries

Written by Trisha on July 31st, 2014.      0 comments

We all enjoy eating berries - most of us eat them every day - breakfast, smoothies, after workouts, baking, desserts.  In mid-winter when the options for fresh fruit seem limited to apples, kiwifruit, bananas and pears (all good fruits too) frozen berries come into their own. No waste, always available, always good for you.

Our favourite way to eat Orchard Gold berries is just straight out of the pack.  Here are some of the other things we've been doing with Orchard Gold frozen berries this week:

 
BREAKFAST:

Raspberries and Coconut Cream
Blueberries on porridge
Mixed Berries on Cereal with Almond Milk

Porridge with Berries

SMOOTHIES:
Berry Smoothies  

berry-smoothie 2

DESSERTS:
Warm Berry Compote with crepes and
 yoghurt  

Mixed Berry Compote

BAKING:

Berry Plonk Cake Raspberry and White Chocolate Muffins

Berry Cake  

 

And it's only Thursday!  All the recipes are on our website.  Look under recipes.

Topics: Orchard Gold
 

Raspberry and Chocolate Pudding Cake

Written by Trisha on June 27th, 2014.      1 comments

Here's one of our all time favourites - it's based on Nigella Lawson's Chocolate Raspberry Pudding Cake from her first book "How to Eat".  This is a very runny mixture and it can leak through the bottom of the tin.  We recommend you line the base and sides with baking paper to prevent any leaks from the tin ... easier than cleaning the oven later, as we had to!!!  

RASPBERRY CHOCOLATE PUDDING CAKE
Ingredients:
185g self raising flour
30g cocoa powder
250g unsalted butter
1 tablespoon liqueur (raspberry or other)
95g caster sugar
95g dark brown sugar
250g dark chocolate
185ml black coffee and 185 ml water (or 370ml water with 2 teaspoons instant coffee)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
250g Orchard Gold raspberries

Raspberry and Chocolate Pudding Cake 1
Method:
Preheat the oven to 180oC. Butter a 22-23cm spring-sided cake tin and line the base and sides with one piece of baking paper - to prevent leaks.
Sift the flour and cocoa powder together in a bowl and set aside.  
In a heavy-based saucepan place the butter, liqueur, sugars, chocolate, coffee and water and stir over a low heat until everything is melted and is glossy, smooth and thick.
Stir this mixture into the sifted flour and cocoa.  Beat well until all smooth and glossy, then beat in the eggs. This will be runny - its meant to be! The chocolate sets as it cooks and then cools.
Pour about half the mixture into the prepared tin, cover with the raspberries, then pour the rest of the mixture over the top. If necessary poke the raspberries back down under the cake batter.
Put into the preheated oven and bake for 50-55 minutes. It will still be moist when cooked so a skewer will not come out clean.  When it is cooked the top will be firm and probably slightly cracked. Remove from the oven and put on a rack. Leave in the tin for 15 minutes, then turn out.  
Dust with a little icing sugar, serve with raspberry compote and ice cream or creme fraiche.

Other Orchard Gold berries can be used in this recipe - try Orchard Gold Super Fruits (blueberries, blackcurrants and raspberries) or Orchard Gold Blueberries.

 

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