Blackberry-picking is the British equivalent of the very European pursuit of mushroom-hunting but with less of the snobbery. Wherever you live, you can't escape the sprawling bushes from dense woodland to busy roadside. Nothing beats an autumnal expedition to relieve the bushes of their ripe, dark fruit where half the berries go in your mouth, the other half in a piping hot dessert with lashings of custard. Try our top ten recipes for some of the best ways to enjoy the ubiquitous blackberry.
Mike Robinson's delicious autumn fruit crumble is lower in fat, but still full on in flavour
Transform your hedgerow harvest into a treat with Janet Brinkworth's simple but delicious blackberry cake
For a delicious but simple treat try Paul Hollywood's recipe for these dangerously gorgeous muffins
David Massey's eye-catching blackberry cheesecake needs a bit of pre-preparation, but the fruity vinegar keeps for up to a year...
An exquisite dessert from Tamasin Day Lewis - juicy blueberries baked in a rich Genoise sponge, doused with black berry liqueur
This fruity dessert from Ed Baines is drizzled with a pear-infused syrup and served with clotted cream ice cream
Gloriously indulgent puds from Mike Robinson. Blackberry jam topping and gorgeous chunks of melted chocolate in a light moist dough
For a delicious and pretty dessert try Ben O'Donoghue's recipe for little Pavlovas, topped with a fresh fruit medley
For a delicious dessert, try Brian Turner's home-made custard tarts served with a cassis-flavoured blackberry coulis
For a delicious autumn dessert try Lotte Duncan's tart, combining vanilla cream and blackberries to luscious effect
