It is a wonderful thing when something luscious turns out to be good for you, too.

So it is with blackberries. These sweet, dark berries that can be found all over Oregon and the West Coast have scientists excited about the health benefits.

Turns out the berries are a rich source of vitamins C and E, high in antioxidants and a good source of phytoestrogen, all of which, according to scientists and the medical community, help fight cancer, heart disease and stroke.

When I was a child, I thought the best way to eat blackberries was straight off the vines still warmed by the sun. I still indulge myself, but my tastes have gotten more sophisticated over the years. As the blackberries ripen into abundance, cooks all over are preparing jams and jellies, blackberry pies, crisps and cobblers. I’ve gathered a few recipes for the more adventurous among us.

A clafouti is a fruit dessert that comes originally from France. A frothy batter is poured over a layer of fruit and baked, resulting in a deliciously different dessert somewhat custard-like on the bottom and pancake-like on the surface. It is quick to make and is excellent warm or at room temperature, with or without ice cream. It is best eaten the day it is made.

 Blackberry Clafouti

Serves 6

3 cups fresh, cleaned blackberries

1⁄2 cup + 1 to 3 tablespoons sugar

3 eggs

1 cup half and half

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 tablespoon brandy or rum

3⁄4 cup flour

Pinch of salt

(if desired, add 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest to batter)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter or spray with baking spray with flour one 9-inch or 10-inch round pie pan. (I like to use the deep dish pie pans.)

Sprinkle the blackberries with the one to three tablespoons of sugar (depending on sweetness of berries and personal taste) and arrange on the pan. In a medium bowl, beat together sugar and eggs until light and fluffy.

Add half and half, vanilla, and brandy or rum. Beat until smooth.  Slowly add the flour and salt and mix thoroughly. Finally, stir in the lemon zest (if desired). Pour the custard over the berries in the pie pan. Bake for 10 minutes at 375 degrees and then reduce temperature to 350 degrees. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until puffy, browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Sprinkle top with powdered sugar.

The top will sink as it cools.

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Here’s another dessert that is a little bit different. This one dates back to the pioneer days.

Blackberry dumplings

6 cups blackberries, cleaned

1⁄4 cup water

1 cup sugar

11⁄2 tablespoons butter

2 cups flour

3 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

31⁄2 teaspoons baking powder

1 egg, lightly beaten

Milk, as needed

In a saucepan, combine first four ingredients and heat slowly. Mix flour, sugar, salt and baking powder. To flour mixture add egg and enough milk to make a stiff dough.

Bring blackberry mixture to boil. Drop batter by tablespoonfuls into blackberry mixture. Be careful of splatters. Hot juice can burn. Cover and cook 15 to 20 minutes.

To serve: Spoon dumplings and juice into bowls and serve with cream. For a modern twist, serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

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This bread is yummy for breakfast.

Blackberry quick bread

Makes one loaf

Bread

3⁄4 cup sugar

1⁄2 cup milk

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temp.

1 large egg

2 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1⁄4 teaspoon salt

2 cups fresh blackberries

Topping

1⁄2 cup sugar

1⁄3 cup all purpose flour

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temp.

1⁄2 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter and flour a 9-inch-by-5-inch loaf pan.

Stir topping ingredients together in a small bowl. Set aside.

In medium bowl, stir sugar, milk, butter and egg together until smooth. In another bowl, toss the flour with the baking powder and salt. Stir dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Fold in blackberries.

Transfer batter to the prepared pan and sprinkle with the topping. Bake until topping is deep golden and has formed a thick crust (approximately 50 minutes).

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Here’s a blackberry pie with a different twist. Better make two because everyone will be begging for more.

Blackberry sour cream pie

2 cups sour cream

3 tablespoons flour

3 tablespoons light brown sugar

1 egg, beaten

9 inch graham cracker crust unbaked (purchased or

    see recipe below)

 1⁄2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

 2 cups fresh blackberries, cleaned

Combine sour cream, flour and brown sugar then add egg and beat well. Place half of the mixture into the graham cracker crust.

Mix berries and 1⁄2 cup brown sugar together then spread over sour cream mixture. Cover berries with remaining cream mixture then bake for 25 minutes at 400 degrees.

Chill for several hours.

Simple Graham cracker crust

18 graham cracker squares (equivalent of 11⁄2 cups)

1⁄4 cup sugar

6 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

Crush crackers into fine crumbs by hand or in blender. Pour into medium bowl and add sugar. Mix. Stir in melted butter or margarine and toss with fork to thoroughly combine. Press mixture firmly into pie pan in an even layer across the bottom and up the sides. Chill for one hour before filling.

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Bottle your summer with a simple cordial. Cordials were popular in the past and generally served after dinner as folks gathered together for conversation, hence the name cordial. This easy recipe takes some time, but allows you to carry warm summer memories into the colder days of autumn.

Wild blackberry cordial

2 cups wild blackberries, cleaned

1 cup sugar

2 cups brandy

Mash the blackberries and place them in a large, clean jar. Add the sugar and brandy and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Cover and store in a cool, dark place for 8 weeks, stirring and/or shaking once a week.

At the end of the eight weeks, strain through a cheesecloth or a coffee filter into a clean bottle. This makes 11⁄2 pints. (I usually use quart jars).