Blackberries, delicious and exquisite, are a sweet summer gift. However, since their growing season is very short, it is very difficult (and sometimes impossible) to enjoy them all year round. Try to make the most of your summer harvest and freeze the blackberries when they are at their peak of ripeness so that you can eat them during the other months. Keep reading!
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Freeze Unsweetened Blackberries
Step 1. Wash the berries gently
When you pick them (or buy them) choose the ripe and juicy ones and wash them gently but carefully. Put them in a colander and then rinse them with cold running water, shaking them with your fingers. Wait for all the water to drain and then dry the blackberries by dabbing them with a soft cloth.
Take advantage of when you wash and dry your blackberries to remove any rotten, unripe or damaged ones. It also eliminates any residue of leaves, soil or other debris
Step 2. Arrange the fruits on a baking sheet
Cover a metal one with parchment paper and then add the blackberries, making sure they don't touch each other. Don't forget the parchment paper, if you don't put it in, the blackberries will freeze adhering to the pan and will break when you try to peel them off.
- If you have too many blackberries to arrange them apart, you can pour them directly onto the baking sheet. However, this will result in a single block of frozen fruit that you will need to break up if you need individual blackberries.
- If you have a lot of blackberries and you want to keep them separate, it is better to cover the first layer of fruit with another sheet of baking paper and then add the remaining berries, in this way you double the available surface.
Step 3. Put the blackberries in the freezer
Place the pan on a horizontal surface of the freezer (so the blackberries don't roll) and wait for them to harden completely. It is advisable to leave them overnight to make sure they are well frozen. However don't forget them! If you leave them in the freezer for too long without protection, “cold burns” will form on the surface of the fruit.
Step 4. Transfer the berries to a bag suitable for use in the freezer
Do this when they are hard, let all the air out of the container and return the fruit to the freezer. The thicker the bag, the less air is present and the better the blackberries will be preserved, since pockets of air contribute to “cold burns”.
- If you have a vacuum machine, use it to remove all the air from the bags and thus protect the berries.
- Alternatively, if you don't care about the blackberries freezing in a single block, skip the step of the pan and put all the fruit in a bag after washing and drying. Doing so they will form a single frozen block, not very pleasant to see but still great to eat.
Step 5. Store the berries for up to 6 months
Frozen berries last up to 6 months although you will find those who recommend using them within 8 months from the date of freezing. You can incorporate them into pastry recipes, for example for a tart or you can enjoy them as a natural sorbet with just a little sugar.
It is generally not necessary to defrost them if you are incorporating them into baked goods, as they will also lose their normal moisture. For more information on this, read the dedicated section of this article
Method 2 of 3: Freeze the Sugared Blackberries
Step 1. Rinse and dry the berries as usual
Sweetening blackberries before freezing allows you to preserve their natural color and texture. In addition, their life in the freezer is getting longer. To freeze the sweetened blackberries, proceed as usual: rinse them gently, drain them and then wait for them to dry in the air or dab them with a cloth.
As previously mentioned, discard any unripe or rotten blackberries before proceeding. Remember to remove any soil, leaves and debris as well
Step 2. Add the sugar
Put the blackberries in a large bowl and add 60-80 g of sugar for every kilo of fruit. Mix the blackberries carefully and delicately, you have to cover them with sugar without crush them and make them mush. The sugar should join the normal moisture of the berries and turn into a syrup along with the juice of the ones that break. The syrup should coat all the berries.
Step 3. Pack the blackberries in airtight bags or containers
Use plastic, sealable containers like those from Tupperware. Try to fill the containers as full as possible leaving no more than 1.2 cm of space on the edge. The less air you leave in the container, the better, however resist the temptation to use jars that are too small to avoid crushing the berries.
- You can also use freezer bags, as mentioned earlier, although you could make a decent mess due to the sugary syrup.
- There is no need to freeze the sweetened blackberries one by one, because the sugar protects them from the air while preserving their consistency. However, if you want to freeze them separately, always use the baking tray technique described above.
Step 4. Store them in the freezer for 9 months
Sweetened blackberries should keep for at least 9 months, although some claim they can last up to a year. You can use sweetened blackberries, unlike natural ones, in pastry recipes, but you must remember to change the amount of sugar, since it is already partially present.
Precisely for this reason, it would be wise to label the containers also indicating the amount of sugar used
Method 3 of 3: Using Frozen Blackberries
Step 1. Do not defrost blackberries when adding them to baking
As mentioned earlier, in pastry recipes you can use them frozen to avoid adding moisture to the mixture which would make it watery and soft.
Some people only defrost them halfway in the microwave before adding them to the preparation, for a great result without adding too much moisture. If you want to try this technique, remember that the necessary defrosting time varies according to the power of the appliance and the quantity of berries
Step 2. Roll the blackberries in the flour to prevent the juices from escaping
Sometimes, frozen blackberry recipes cause juice to spill and stain the batter. Although it is not an effect that alters the flavor of the finished product, its appearance is somewhat altered. Flour contains the juices and limits this problem.
Step 3. Thaw blackberries for liquid recipes
There are cases in which it is necessary to defrost them before cooking them. There are usually preparations that benefit from defrosting because they need extra moisture such as coulis, ice cream sauces, shortcakes and so on. To thaw them quickly, submerge them in cold water for 10-15 minutes.
To prevent the bag from floating and the berries from thawing unevenly, put a weight such as a plate or bowl
Step 4. Defrost them if you want to eat them raw
In this case it is advisable that they are no longer hard, although in the summer they can be a refreshing treat. Use the quick defrost method described above or leave the bag at room temperature overnight. After thawing them, put them in a bowl of cold water to get rid of any residual ice or frost. At this point, sift them and remove any damaged ones.
