Summers in Victoria can be scorchers, with the combination of heat and dry air making the state one of the worst spots on earth for bushfire.
But we are also blessed with an abundance of fresh summer berries so the season is my favourite despite the fire threat.
For a refreshing summer dessert, nothing comes close to a bowl of summer berries, with a dollop of creamy fraiche.
Most summers I combine strawberries, raspberries and blueberries, adding a few balls of watermelon and maybe the pulp of a passionfruit or two - with a splash of Grand Marnier for consenting adults.
But this season I have fallen in love with blueberries and come up with a simple dessert using frozen fruit so I can whip up a berry treat in a flash whenever unexpected visitors arrive.
Blueberries freeze well so I have been buying half a dozen punnets whenever they are reasonably priced and storing them in their punnets in the freezer.
To use them, take the punnet straight from the freezer, rinse the frozen berries briefly, put them straight into a serving bowl and top with your choice of creamy topping, berry sauce, or both.
Blueberry delight
Ingredients (for 6):
2 punnets of frozen blueberries
125g Mascapone
125g vanilla Fruche (or similar creme fraiche)
1 tab caster sugar
Creamy ``delight''
Whisk the mascapone, creme fraiche and caster sugar until smooth.
Place frozen blueberries in individual bowls and serve with a generous dollop of the creamy ``delight''.
How simple is that.
If I have a bit more time I like to top the dessert with a sweet berry sauce.
Berry sauce
Ingredients:
150g frozen blueberries
150g caster sugar
Method:
Combine frozen blueberries and caster sugar in a heatproof bowl, cover with lid or foil, place over a saucepan of simmering water and cook for about 2 hours, until the berries are a deep purple.
Squash the berries lightly to release the liquid and strain through a sieve to remove remaining skins.
Refrigerate until required.
The sauce should keep, refrigerated, for several days.
But I can't confirm this because I have never had any left after more than a day.
The sauce would be great over cake or icecream and works well with any berry fruits.
