Orange quark creme with Blackberry sauce

We have been to a number of forests and natural reserves here where you find wild berries growing everywhere, edible ones. So, earlier when we would go for our bicycle tours, hubby and me, during summers we would take a small break and simultaneously stuff our mouths with some yummy berries growing there. We just couldn't resist it. I love plucking and collecting berries on my own. It is such a big pleasure incomparable to anything else. The ones we buy in the market are a lot of times much bigger, but not necessarily better in taste and compare no ways to the fun associated with the former.
So, I knew right from the beginning, as soon as we moved into this house, that I'll be planting different berry plants.
Now we have a number of those in our garden. And this year we enjoyed our first round of blackberries from our own garden and we got quite many of them. The happiest person in the family was of course my sunny boy, ecstatic with joy on hearing that we can finally pluck another round berries, every time I told him that some more had ripened. So, Rishab enjoyed the handful of blackberries he got each time.
But, I had no chance to collect so many to be able to bake anything. But, I didn't even want to. I think the best way to eat them is fresh, as they are, rich in vitamins and minerals and pigments which are good antioxidants. A lot of health packed in these small fruits.
But, then I came across this recipe in a booklet which I saw in my Recipes ring binder. And liked it so much that I had to make it. So, I went searching for some blackberries, which wasn't easy to find as the season was ending, as it was already middle of October. But, I at least found one packet of fresh ones. Then I went searching for the frozen ones, but couldn't find any, except mixed together with other fruits. The only thing I could find separately was raspberries and I felt that would do fine for the sauce.
(I'm sorry, my picture are suffering in quality, not that they were ever so good, but the failing sunlight- whichever time of the day-is making me experiment a little bit, hopefully will have some better results soon)

So, here goes the recipe....

Orange quark creme with Blackberry sauce

Based on the recipe from the booklet
"Kochen und Backen mit Grafschafter "

Serves 4-6 people
Preparation time: 20-30 minutes


Ingredients:

Orange creme
300 g Magerquark (low fat quark, 0.1 % fat)
200 g cream cheese
75 ml juice of fresh oranges (like Valancia oranges; DE: Saftorangen)
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1-2 tbsp zest of oranges (with untreated skin)
2 tbsp confectioners sugar or to taste (or use syrup)
a few drops Orange liquor (Like Cointreaue)-optional, I left it out

Blueberry sauce
2-3 tbsp Grafschafter Apfelschmaus* (I used golden syrup instead)
250 g Blackberries (fresh or frozen)
(I used 100 g fresh blackberries and 200 g frozen raspberries)
100 ml black grape juice
(I used some orange juice instead)
roasted slivered almonds (optional)
mint or lemon balm leaves for decorating (optional)

* A syrup made by cooking apples and pears. No sugar is added. It is dark in colour and it's sweetness comes from the natural sweetness of the apple

Method:

• mix together all the ingredients for the orange quark creme and keep in the fridge until required
  
• For the sauce, heat and melt the frozen raspberries along with the juice and add the goldensyrup (or Apfelschmaus)
• cook till the sauce starts to thicken, then add the fresh blackberries, cook further till they turn slightly soft
• remove a couple of the blackberries and keep aside
  
• puree everything else or directly pass through a sieve or strainer to remove the seeds
• cook further for a few minutes, if required or
  
• serve with the orange quark creme
  

This was a wonderful dessert. The flavours of orange and the berries combined together with the creaminess of quark. If only it was not so rich and I would have eaten three times the portion. This is one dessert sure to make you happy. I don't think I need to say much as the pictures tell it all, don't they?!

Now, since I did not find enough blackberries, I used frozen raspberries, which made the colour of the sauce lighter in shade, but it was still quite purple in colour even if the pictures make it look more like redish.
Therefore, this one goes to a wonderful event Food in Colours (FIC) held at Sunshinemom's Tongueticklers with this months theme being Purple and Black
Now, let's talk about another pleasant thing. Yes, about awards!
Lovely Ivy of Kopiaste passed me this Award:

And here are the people I would like to forward it to:

Anudivya of ...a little bit more...
Jude of Apple Pies, Patis & Pâté
Sunshinemom of Tongueticklers