Blue lips, blue teeth, blue tongue – August is blackberry season here in Söll!
The forest berry, which is about the size of a pea and goes by many names – blackberry, blueberry, cranberry, bilberry, to name but a few – belongs to the heather family. The wild blueberry grows throughout Europe in sparse coniferous forests, heaths and raised bogs. Here in Tyrol, it ripens from July to September.

We at Bergland . At this time of year, Ferienwohnungen Söll love to go blackberry picking in the surrounding mountains of the Wilder Kaiser! Back at home, we turn these healthy berries into jam, blueberry muffins or the ever-popular blackberry dumplings. In this article, we reveal our favorite recipe for this traditional dessert!

So that we can still enjoy this noble berry in the fall months, we also like to freeze it and then process it – as the mood takes us – into the most delicious delicacies for the fall.

We at Bergland, your vacation apartment in Söll am Wilden Kaiser, hope you enjoy reading this exciting article!

But first a few interesting details about the blackberry:

The blackberry harvest

The aromatic fruits are harvested with a special tool that resembles a comb. Hence the name “Blaubeer-Kamm” and “Heidelbeer-Rechen”, also known as “Riffel”, “Raffel” and “Schwoazbearkampe” in the local dialect. The “teeth” of the comb strip off the berries and these are then collected in a container underneath.

A true superfood

Blackberries are rich in vitamins C and E, zinc and potassium. They also contain folic acid and iron, as well as tannins and plant dyes. These are important for cell renewal and cell protection, have an anti-inflammatory effect and strengthen the immune system.
An additional plus: the small wild berries are low in calories and sugar – and can therefore often be found in recipes for losing weight.

A special treat for the palate: “Schwarzbeernockerln”

If you rummage a little in old literature, you will learn that “Moosbeernocken” was once a dessert among the lumberjacks. The dish is also described as “an old “Saturday lunch” from Tyrol”. For many people without land and without fruit trees, wild berries were an important source of food and vitamins.
Today, blackberry dumplings are a popular dessert in late summer and early fall and can be found on many a menu, from simple country inns to upscale restaurants.

And now to the recipe:

INGREDIENTS:

This quantity is enough for 4 people:

• 2 eggs
• ¼ liter of milk
• 250 gram flour
• A little salt, vanilla pod and a dash of lemon juice
• 400 grams of blackberries
• Fat for baking
• To sprinkle with powdered sugar

PREPARATION:

• Mix the ingredients into a smooth batter. Heat the fat in a pan.
• Pour a ladleful of batter into the hot fat and spread the blackberries on top. As soon as the mixture starts to set at the bottom, carefully turn the dumplings over and bake until done.
• Drain briefly on a piece of kitchen paper, arrange and sprinkle with powdered sugar. A scoop of vanilla ice cream and a dollop of whipped cream round off the taste experience. Some connoisseurs also swear by a glass of fresh milk as an accompaniment.
• For a special touch, you can add a dash of rum to the batter. On the one hand, this makes the dumplings particularly tasty, and on the other, the alcohol allows the dough to absorb less fat during baking!

One little trick is revealed:

If you dip the blackberries briefly in flour beforehand, they won’t sink to the bottom of the dough so quickly!

Finally, a few tips on buying and storing the delicious berries:

• The berries are best enjoyed at harvest time – short transportation times preserve the aroma and freshness.
• consume the berries as soon as possible, wash them briefly in a bowl of tap water and then drain well.
• Watch out for mold – the berries are sensitive
• blackberries will keep for about 1 week if kept in the fridge
• As mentioned above, the berries can be frozen for later enjoyment or dehydrated for muesli and cakes.

We at Bergland, your vacation apartment in Söll, wish all those who are now looking forward to fluffy “Schwarzbeernockerln” and start baking them:

“Good luck!” and “Bon appétit!”

Sources:
https://blog.osttirol.com/berghunger/schwarzbeernocken
https://www.mehlspeiskultur.at/c/pustertaler-schwarzbeernocken-ein-altes-samstag-mittagessen-aus-tirol
https://www.gutekueche.at/schwarzbeernocken-rezept-29030
https://www.eatbetter.de/heidelbeeren-so-gesund-und-naehrstoffreich-ist-das-superfood
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blaubeerkamm