It’s blueberry season—yay! Fresh, ripe blueberries are the best. And if you want to know everything, and I mean EVERYthing about baking with blueberries, you’ll love the website for the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (www.blueberry.org).

I went to them, wondering how in the heck to bake with this wonderful berry without my batter turning that purply-blue color that’s so annoying. Over the years I’ve read of all sorts of tricks and tips, but none of them have really worked.

www.blueberry.org had THE answer to that question and several others. Like, how do you keep your berries from sinking to the bottom of the pan, for instance?

So with this stage set, here’s what I learned about baking with blueberries:

Prevent your batter and baked goods from turning a purple-blue hue by rinsing frozen blueberries several times in cold water until the water becomes lighter in color. Then pat them dry on a paper towel and fold into your batter GENTLY.

It also helps to add them before they have a chance to thaw, and then baking your dish immediately.

And it also helps if you’ll gently fold blueberries into your batter at the END of the mix cycle—it’s the very last step before popping your recipe into the oven.

Prevent your berries from sinking to the bottom of the pan by being extra careful not to over-blend during the first stage of mixing. Over-blending creates a thinner batter which makes it easy for berries to sink.

Also, coat blueberries with flour or cornstarch before gently stirring them into the batter.

Another trick is to spread half of your batter in the pan, then add half the blueberries. Spread the remaining batter on top, then top it all off with the remaining blueberries.

Another approach is to substitute dried blueberries for fresh. They’ll stay in place, maintain a more structured texture and are less likely to burst when hot.

Finally, there’s actually some chemistry to know and incorporate when baking with blueberries. The secret to beautifully colored berries in baked goods or smoothies is the pH scale. In a highly alkaline environment (too much baking soda or dairy), blueberries will turn greenish blue or gray, respectively. But if you mix in a little lemon juice and zest, you’ll end up with a more vibrant blue color.

I’ll close with one more plug for this no-fuss, no-stress food (they’re easy to rinse, eat and enjoy), as well as a plug for www.blueberry.org. Do take some time to explore their site. You’ll find some great recipes and other timely information that can lead to not just delicious, but successful outcomes!

For starters, try this recipe for a delicious quick bread. And follow the suggestions above and there’ll be no issue with sinking berries or your batter turning blue!