Freeze bargain berries for winter desserts

Sunset, June, 1995 by Maura Devlin

It's surprisingly easy, and the payoff comes when berry prices soar

Summer berries can't get much better or cheaper than they are in June and July, especially if you grow or pick your own, or buy in bulk at farm stands or farmers' markets. And if you'd like to keep the good deal going, freeze some of this fruit to use in pies and other treats later in the year, when berries are expensive.

Freezing without sugar works well for all berries, and the process is child's play. Of course, you should start with prime-quality fruit.

First, sort berries, discarding any that are bruised or have even a hint of mold.

Gently rinse berries to remove dust and any other debris. The most effective method is to dump several handfuls of berries at a time into cool water, then at once skim them out with your hands, a large strainer ladle, or even a colander. Do not let the berries stand in water (they'll get soggy) or run water over them full force (the pressure is enough to bruise). Lay berries in a single layer on several thicknesses of towels and let stand a few minutes until drained and mostly dry. Do not pat berries to dry; this also bruises them. Hull strawberries and gently pull currants from stems.

Individually quick-freeze juicy berries that crush easily - blackberries, boysenberries, olallieberries, loganberries, marionberries, raspberries, strawberries, and currants.

Arrange clean, dry berries in a single layer (they can touch slightly) in large rimmed pans. Freeze, uncovered, until berries are hard, 1 to 2 hours. Then quickly pour berries into freezer storage containers, seal, and return to freezer for as long as a year. Berries will not stick together; however, if a few do lump, tap to break apart. To use fruit, pour out the amount you want. Reseal remaining berries and return them at once to the freezer. Be sure to use freezer storage containers; otherwise the berries will get freezer burn as they lose moisture and dry out.

Just freeze blueberries and gooseberries. These berries, like cranberries, don't need to be individually frozen because they have tougher skins. Pour the clean, dry berries into freezer storage containers and freeze. You'll get best results if you pack them in 2- to 4-cup bags or boxes so they can freeze quickly. The frozen berries will pour out readily.

Out of the freezer, juicy berries thaw rapidly, leak juice, and get mushy. But when you cook or puree them, their flavors are difficult to distinguish from fresh. Blueberries and gooseberries leak less but soften more than fresh berries do when cooked.

Once your freezer is well stocked, file these ideas for cool-weather berry treats:

Instant sorbet. Whirl slightly thawed frozen berries in a blender or food processor to make a thick slush, flavoring to taste with sugar, honey, jam, or a sweet liqueur with orange, black raspberry, or cassis flavor. Serve at once.

Fruit floats. Make instant sorbet and scoop into tall glasses of fruit juice or nectar. Try blackberries or blueberries in orange juice, raspberries in apricot nectar or lemonade, or strawberries in a raspberry-cranberry beverage.

Berry pies. Measure frozen berries and mix with filling ingredients. Pour into pie crust and bake as recipe directs, allowing a few extra minutes for filling to heat enough to bubble. If crust browns before filling is done, drape it with foil. A delicious summer-winter team is blueberry pie with a handful of dried cranberries mixed in.

Berry ice cubes. Drop frozen berries into beverages like sparkling water, matching berries with berry-flavor sparkling water and fruit juice or juice-blend beverages. Stir to cool the beverage and crush the berries.