Blackberry and Blueberry Coulis

A rich, deep coloured coulis can add sophistication to any dessert - making it look stylish, dramatic and impressive. This coulis is so easy to make with only a few simple ingredients.

It can be served warm or cold, and it keeps well refrigerated for about 5 days or can be frozen in ice-cube tray for easy defrosting as it's needed.

Ingredients:

Makes approximately half a cup.

• 125g (4oz) mixed blackberries and blueberries
• 50g (1 3/4 oz) castor sugar
• 50ml (2 fl oz) water
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence

Method:

• Put the berries, castor sugar, water and vanilla into a small pot and bring to the boil.
• Once boiling, turn down the heat and simmer until the berries are soft.
• Let it cool a little before blending with a stick blender (or similar) until it becomes a puree.
• Strain through a sieve for a smoother puree finish.

I served this with a Vanilla Cheesecake.