Champagne Velvet

Ingredients

• 175g / 6oz blackberries
• 50g / 2oz caster sugar, plus 1 tbsp
• 6 tbsp brandy
• 1 bottle chilled Champagne (or sparkling wine or sparkling grape juice)

Method

1. Reserve 6 of the blackberries and put to one side for decoration. Place the remaining blackberries with 50g caster sugar in a saucepan. Heat gently until the sugar has dissolved then simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until the sauce has thickened slightly and is syrupy.
2. Sieve the blackberry syrup over a bowl, gently pressing with the back of a spoon. Discard the fruit pulp. Chill the syrup.
3. Place a little of the syrup on a saucer and the remaining caster sugar on another saucer. Dip the rim of each of 6 champagne glasses first in the blackberry syrup, then in the caster sugar.
4. Blend the brandy with the remaining blackberry syrup and pour a couple of tablespoons of this into 6 Champagne flutes. Top with the chilled Champagne or sparkling wine. Skewer a blackberry with a cocktail stick and place on top of each glass. Serve immediately.