Blueberries in the Thermomix®

When are blueberries in season?

Outdoor crop from July to mid September, wild bilberries earlier and more intense than cultivated blueberries.

• Jan–
• Feb–
• Mar–
• Apr–
• May–
• Jun–
• JulOutdoor crop
• AugOutdoor crop
• SepOutdoor crop
• Oct–
• Nov–
• Dec–

Outdoor crop: fresh European harvest. Protected crop: greenhouse or covered cultivation. Stored: European harvest kept in storage.

Buying and storing blueberries

In the shops you will mostly find cultivated blueberries: larger, with pale flesh and a milder flavour. Wild bilberries from the woods or the market are smaller, their flesh is coloured dark purple all the way through, and the aroma is noticeably stronger. You can tell fresh berries by a light whitish bloom (a waxy film) that should still be present. Buy plump, undamaged berries with no moisture or mould.

Cultivated blueberries keep in the fridge at 4 to 5°C for up to two weeks. Wild bilberries are more delicate and last only two to three days. Do not wash them before storing. To freeze them, pre freeze singly on a tray, then transfer to bags. Frozen blueberries keep for up to twelve months and can go straight into ice cream, smoothies or cakes.

Preparing blueberries in the Thermomix®

For blueberry ice cream and the smoothie bowl we work with the berries frozen: five seconds on speed 8, then carry on stirring at speed 4 until the mixture is creamy. Fresh berries we fold into cakes and cheesecake unchanged, as the Thermomix® would otherwise break them up too quickly. For mulled blueberry wine and as a base for juice, bring the berries to the boil with a little water at 100°C, speed 1, then strain them through a cloth.

For blueberry jam we blend the berries for ten seconds on speed 10 and then cook the puree with preserving sugar in a one to one ratio, measuring cup removed, until the set test succeeds. Blueberries contain little pectin, so preserving sugar is essential here.

The most common mistakes with blueberries

• Blending blueberries too long and on a high speed. From speed 8, or for longer than five seconds, the berries fall apart completely into juice. For muffins and cakes it is better to fold the berries in by hand, or stir them in only right at the end.
• Preserving without preserving sugar. Blueberries contain little natural pectin. Without preserving sugar the jam stays runny. Always use 1:1 or 2:1 preserving sugar, never ordinary household sugar on its own.
• Picking wild bilberries in light clothing. The juice of wild bilberries is deep purple and barely comes out of fabric. When gathering and processing them, always wear dark, old clothes.

Goes well with blueberries

These seasonal ingredients are in season at the same time, ideal for combining:

OnionsPeppersTomatoesCarrotsPotatoesCeleriac and Celery

Blueberries in the monthly calendar: