A baker's guide to summer berries

Summer berries are one of the great joys of baking — but they can also be one of the great frustrations. Blueberries that sink to the bottom, raspberries that bleed pink through your cake, strawberries that turn to mush. Here's what we've learned.

Choosing berries

For baking, you want berries that are firm and just ripe — not overripe. Overripe berries have more water and less structure, so they collapse in the oven. Blueberries should have a slight frosted look (that's the natural bloom). Strawberries should be fragrant but firm.

The sinking problem

Toss berries in a tablespoon of flour before folding them into batter. The flour gives the batter something to grip, and the berries stay suspended. Works for muffins, cakes, and scones.

Blueberry galette (recipe)

Our summer galette uses a rough puff pastry (easier than it sounds), fresh blueberries, a little lemon zest, and a sprinkle of raw sugar on the crust. The key: let the dough rest in the fridge for at least an hour before rolling. Cold butter = flaky layers.