How we preserve raspberries // a how-to

I'm so excited about this post! Right now i love anything and everything raspberry, and the best thing of all i think is fresh raspberries and ice-cream. I've had a few people get really excited when i talk about preserving raspberries in the freezer without and juice or anything, So here today is how we store our raspberries every fall to keep them at their freshest, purest, and juiciest!

Use a collonder to rinse your raspberries gently several times, to be sure all the little buggies (and or insecticides if their from the market) are gone down the drain. Spread then out gently (they'll be very soft) on paper towels to dry.

After the drying is complete (residual water droplets can aid freezer burn), spread them again gently and evenly onto as many cookie sheets as you have on hand.

Tuck them in the freezer for at least four hours, or overnight if you can spare the freezer space for that long:) Take them out of their hiding place in the freezer and let them sit for no longer than five minutes.

Using a flat-sided spatula, start popping the raspberries from their frozen hold on the cookie sheet. Go all around the sides and make sure they're all 'un-stuck'. if you try and use your hands, the heat from your skin will start the raspberries 'melting' so to speak and they may start to crumble.

Next you'll want to divide them up into freezer Ziploc bags. I like to do about two cups per bag because its a perfect amount for a dessert usually or for a few servings of ice cream for family home evening. I filled 15 quart bags for the freezer. Also once you have then divided up you may want to write the contents and date on the outside of each bag, but only if your like me and have a ginormous freezer full to the brim with potentially unrecognizable items:)

Last step is to place them in the freezer! I filled my side freezer basket on the top so that I'd have easy access! I'm tellin you I'm a raspberryaholic.ha ha

 See how pretty they are with the frost?

To enjoy them, all you have to do is move them from the freezer to the fridge a half hour or so at the most before you want to eat them. And Voila! There you have it. hope you enjoy fresh raspberries all winter long!

If you're like me, than you've kept a small bowl set aside for after all the work is done! Happy preserving!
Emily