Blueberries – the perfect fruit for baking

Vaccinium Cyanococcus are perennial flowering plants of the genus Vaccinium (a genus which also includes cranberries and bilberries), with indigo-colored berries. Species in the section Cyanococcus are the most common fruits sold as “blueberries” and are native to North America (commercially cultivated highbush blueberries were not introduced into Europe until the 1930s).

They are usually erect but sometimes prostrate shrubs varying in size from 10 centimeters (3.9 in) to 4 meters (13 ft) tall. In commercial blueberry production, smaller species are known as “lowbush blueberries” (synonymous with “wild”), and the larger species are known as “highbush blueberries”.

The leaves can be either deciduous or evergreen, ovate to lanceolate, and 1–8 cm (0.39–3.1 in) long and 0.5–3.5 cm (0.20–1.4 in) broad. The flowers are bell-shaped, white, pale pink or red, sometimes tinged greenish. The fruit is a berry 5–16 millimeters (0.20–0.63 in) in diameter with a flared crown at the end; they are pale greenish at first, then reddish-purple, and finally dark blue when ripe. They have a sweet taste when mature, with variable acidity. Blueberry bushes typically bear fruit in the middle of the growing season: fruiting times are affected by local conditions such as altitude and latitude, so the height of the crop can vary from May to August depending upon these conditions.

Sweets need to be more than just sweet to interest my palate. There needs to be an interesting contrast in flavors, such as the addition of something a little tart and tangy but with a nice edge of sweetness.

Blueberries fill that role in baked goods in a delectable way, their sweet-tart juices bleeding into batters as they bake. Or used raw as an alluring blue garnish, they offer crisp, sweet-tart distinction.

Five uses for fresh blueberries

1. Add to tossed green salads dressed with blue cheese vinaigrette.

2. Layer between scoops of ice cream in a tall parfait glass, placing a mound of fresh berries on the top. Or layer fresh berries and ice cream, frozen yogurt or sherbet in a crunchy ice cream cone.

3. Pile in half of a ripe seeded cantaloupe and add a dollop of sweetened Greek vanilla yogurt and a sprig of fresh mint. I like to add a good sprinkle of ground cinnamon.

4. Combine blueberries with fresh strawberries for a colorful fruit salad. Add a little orange liqueur and minced fresh mint to the strawberry-blueberry mixture and you’ve got a dessert fruit compote.

5. Drop a few fresh (or frozen) berries in a large glass of iced sparkling water to create a refreshing alternative to soft drinks. I like to add some quartered fresh strawberries or cubes of watermelon, too.

April is the start of the California blueberry crop, a short season that generally ends in June, when domestic blueberries are sourced from Oregon and Washington through early July. East Coast blueberries are picked June through August. That region is the source for wild blueberries that are very sweet and, unlike cultivated varieties, are blue inside and out. Wild blueberries are delicious, but way more expensive.

The rest of the year most blueberries found in our marketplace are grown in Mexico, Central America, South America and New Zealand.

I like the idea of using California-grown blueberries over the next couple of months, because they are a more local source and the price is often lower. Here are some tips for buying, storing and baking with fresh blueberries:

How to buy: Look for deep-blue berries with a silvery bloom on the exterior, which is a blueberry’s natural protective coating. Lift the see-through container up and tilt it back and forth. If the berries move freely and there are no signs of mold, they’re fresh.

How to store: Do NOT wash before storing. Remove bruised or moldy berries and refrigerate dry berries in the clamshell container they came in; the container has holes at the top and bottom to help air circulate (which helps to prevent deterioration). Rinse with cold water before using.

To freeze: Place them in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and place in freezer. When frozen, transfer to freezer zipper-style plastic bags (pushing out the air before sealing) or in freezer containers. If using frozen in baked goods, additional baking time is usually required.

Cooking with blueberries: When cooked, fresh blueberries sometimes change color. Berries often turn red when combined with acids such as lemon juice or vinegar. In batters containing large amounts of baking soda, blueberries might turn a greenish-blue. These color changes do not affect their flavor.

For pancakes or waffles: Blueberries should be added as soon as the batter is poured on the griddle or iron. If frozen blueberries are used, make sure they are heated through before serving.

Fresh blueberries and raspberries make tasty and colorful garnishes in this red velvet layer cake, both inside pressed into the filling and shown off atop the frosting. The stunning contrast of red cake and fluffy white cream cheese frosting has made this treat a Southern tradition for festive occasions. Mixing a touch of cocoa powder with the buttermilk and vinegar creates a reddish brown color, but it’s the red food coloring that earns this cake its name. For an even deeper red color, add an extra tablespoon of food coloring.

Recipe: Red Velvet Cake with Blueberries and Raspberries

The idea for dipping warm muffin crowns in a little melted butter then in cinnamon-spiked sugar, comes from cooking expert Marion Cunningham in her 1987 “Breakfast Book” (Knopf, out of print). The process creates a beautiful cap on the muffins and I like the way the cinnamon tastes (I often double the amount of cinnamon from 1/2 teaspoon to 1 teaspoon). Some bakers like to transfer batter to muffin tin using a large spoon sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. That system works fine. I like to use my mother’s old orange-handled ice cream scoop that measures out a little less than one-quarter cup of batter. Note that at the end of Step 3, you shouldn’t see large pockets of flour, but a small, occasional small bit of flour may remain; do NOT overmix.

Recipe: Blueberry Muffins

I like to serve this cake with molasses-enhanced whipped cream. To make it, whip 1 cup of chilled, heavy whipping cream with 1 tablespoon powdered sugar until stiff, then gently fold in 1 tablespoon molasses (some streaks of molasses will be visible). It is also delicious served with ice cream. If you prefer to use frozen blueberries, add 5 to 10 minutes of baking time because the cold berries slow down the process.

Recipe: Blueberry-Cornmeal Bundt Cake

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baking with Bill & Sheila

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