Damson, blackberry & cobnut chocolate pots

Damsons, blackberries and cobnuts all arrive in the hedgerows around my house at the same time. It’s as if Nature if giving you a hint. And, never one to ignore a nod and a wink from the seasons, I am happy to oblige and combine them as suggested in this simple chocolate dessert. 

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Damson, blackberry and cobnut chocolate pots

Yield: 6

Prep time: 40 MinInactive time: 4 HourTotal time: 4 H & 40 M

The best of the foraged Autumn hedgerow, wrapped in rich chocolate. A simple chocolate pot pudding that makes the most of seasonal fruit.

Ingredients

• 500g damsons, halved and stoned
• 15g icing sugar, or to taste
• 250g blackberries
• 75g egg yolk (3-4 yolks)
• 40g caster sugar
• 190ml double cream
• 190ml whole milk
• 180g dark chocolate, chopped into small chunks
• 90g cobnuts, shelled and toasted (or blanched hazelnuts)

Instructions

1. Start with the fruit compote. Put the damsons in a pan with a tablespoon of water and bring to a gentle bubble. Add the icing sugar, stir to dissolve, then simmer for 8-10 minutes until the fruit has broken down. Stir in the blackberries and cook for a further 2 minutes. Check the sweetness; depending on your harvest it may need more sugar, but the mixture should be tart to offset the richness of the chocolate so don’t be too heavy with the sugar. Remove from the heat and set aside.
2. For the chocolate pot, whisk the egg yolks and sugar together in bowl until pale.
3. Combine the cream and milk in a pan and bring to the boil quickly and briefly then pour the cream/milk over the yolk/sugar mixture, whisking as you go. Return the whole lot to the pan and cook over a low heat, stirring all the while, until it reaches 75oC. Remove from the heat, pour into a large bowl and cool to 50oC.
4. Meanwhile, melt the chocolate over a double boiler, bain marie or in the microwave. Add the melted chocolate to the cooled custard and stir until combined.
5. Pour the chocolate mixture into 6 glasses, pausing half way up to add a dollop of compote before filling almost to the top. Refrigerate until firm, around 4 hours, but overnight is ideal.
6. To serve, spoon the remaining compote on top of the set chocolate and finish with a sprinkle of chopped cobnuts or hazelnuts.