Blackberry Sponge Traybake

It's blackberry season! My colleague Sheila brought a big bag of blackberries to work yesterday that she'd picked from her garden, and naturally I had to bake something with them! This tray bake is amazing warm from the oven with a layer of squirty cream on top, and perfect for elevenses (and various other coffee breaks) at work! ;)

 

Ingredients:

For the base:

100g unsalted butter, cubed

2tbsp caster sugar

200g plain flour

1 egg

 

For the sponge:

150g unsalted butter

150g caster sugar

3 eggs

30g blanched almonds, finely chopped

170g self raising flour

1/2tsp bicarbonate of soda

Few drops almond essence

300g fresh blackberries

 

Pre-heat your oven to 180c and line a deep tray/dish with grease proof paper.

 

To make the base, put the butter, caster sugar and flour in the bowl of a food processor and blitz until it looks like fine breadcrumbs. Add the egg and blitz again until it starts forming bigger lumps.

Tip the crumbly mixture into the base of your dish and press down with your hands, making sure it's pushed into the corners.

Place in the fridge while you make the sponge.

 

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until there are no lumps of butter visible.

Stir in the eggs, one at a time, before adding the almonds.

Sift in the flour and bicarbonate of soda and gently fold it into the mixture. Lastly, add the almond essence and stir in gently.

Spoon the sponge layer over the base, levelling it out with the back of a spoon. Scatter the blackberries over the top and bake for 40 minutes.

 

Leave to cool slightly in the dish before cutting into squares.