Happiness is Ice Cream and Home Made Blackberry Coulis

Today my partner and I took a drive down the Channel armed with large yoghurt buckets. The aim was to pick blackberries. We came home with bucket loads of berries, scratched arms and purple fingers. Oh but what bliss- spending time with a loved one outdoors, communing with nature, picking huge, plump, purple berries and eating lots too! Life doesn't get much better. 
Home to freeze the bulk of our mornings work for later use. Frozen in a single layer on a tray and later packed into plastic bags, seperate little frozen berries ready for a pie, crumble or muffins.  
The remainder I made into Coulis - A rich thick tangy sauce to pour over ice cream, pan cakes or to eat with yoghurt Yum Yum Yum! 

• 250g blackberries
  
  

  
  

  
  
  

  
• 50g golden caster sugar
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• Method
• Put the blackberries and sugar into a small pan with 100ml/31⁄2fl oz water. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 5 mins until the fruit is soft. Stir in the vanilla, remove and cool a little.

1. Tip the contents of the pan into a blender or food processor, and whizz to a purée, then strain through a sieve, rubbing it through with the back of a ladle or spoon. Serve warm or chilled. Keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.