Baking is therapeutic, and it’s also a feast for the senses. As summer comes around, people typically bake more with fresh fruits, and for good reason. Blueberries are packed with antioxidants and vitamins according to Healthline, and they can have health benefits when eaten every day. They can bring out your natural beauty, and they’re certainly not just for your oatmeal.
Potentially the best part of baking with blueberries is their versatility. They’re perfect in cheesecake, cobbler, ice cream, pie, scones, and cookies, just to name a few delicious desserts (via Taste of Home). Blueberry is also great paired with other flavors. Everyone loves a mixed berry dessert, right? Most often, it’s paired with lemon, which Blueberry.org calls an “unbeatable combination.” The lemon’s acidity pairs incredibly well with the blueberry’s sweetness and tartness, creating a full flavor palette from just two fruits. However, there may be one other flavor that people should be pairing with blueberries more.
This unexpected ingredient will change how you see blueberry desserts
According to Jarrett Melendez at Epicurious, the one ingredient you may not expect to work with blueberries that actually does is none other than coriander. He explained that coriander brings out blueberries’ natural flavors, making your blueberry dessert bolder and making it pop more. As it turns out, this is because both coriander and blueberries contain a terpene called linalool, which, when used in conjunction, can marry together and bring out a deeper flavor.
Essentially, terpenes are compounds found in plants and animals that create odors, and linalool is just one kind of terpene (via Epicurious). Taste and smell are intrinsically intertwined as all of our senses are, so these linalools — or their smells — can enhance your eating experience. However, simply having linalool in common isn’t enough. “In the case of blueberries and coriander, the linalool present is mostly the same type,” explained Dr. Haley Sater. “In a nutshell, there are two different forms of linalool that can be produced in nature, and they actually have different odor properties.” Sater is an expert on the biochemistry of blueberries — how cool is that?
It’s only because blueberries and coriander share the same linalool type that they benefit from each other so much. No matter the science, though, this is a food combination that you should absolutely try next time you make a cobbler or pie. Your favorite blueberry dessert recipe may surprise you with how much it can be elevated with one little change.
Source: Read Full Article