Blue lips, blue teeth, blue tongue – August is huckleberry season here in Söll! The pea-sized wild berry with its 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 . Ferienwohnungen Söll also like to go blackberry picking in the surrounding Wilder Kaiser mountains at this time of year! Back at home, we then process 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 autumn. We at Bergland, your holiday 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, which 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 pigments. 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 are therefore often 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, cranberry dumplings are a popular dessert in late summer and early autumn and can be found on many a menu, from simple country inns to upmarket restaurants.

And now to the recipe:

INGREDIENTS:

This amount is enough for 4 guests:

• 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 together to form a smooth batter. Heat the fat in a frying 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 dumpling over and bake until done.
• Drain briefly on a piece of kitchen paper, serve 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, a dash of rum can be added to the dough. 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; to wash them, dip 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 holiday 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