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This blueberry oatmeal bread recipe says to add 2/3 cup dried blueberries to the bread machine at add-in time. When I just dump them in on top of the dough, they end up clustered at the bottom of the loaf, as shown:

right-side-up loaf loaf turned on its side

(How) can I get them to be evenly distributed?

Update

As bob1 suggested, I tried adding the dried blueberries at the very start. That worked. The blueberries were evenly distributed and none the worse for the earlier inclusion.

bread with distributed blueberries

Ellen Spertus
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2 Answers2

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You can add them at the start of the mixing process to help distribute them evenly. You may find that soaking them for a few minutes in warm water to re-hydrate will help the berries mix more evenly if adding at the add-in-time.

bob1
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According to the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council, you can spread half the batter, add the berries, and top with the second half of the batter. But, I usually coat the blueberries in flour. It prevents them from sinking and from "bleeding blueberry juice" into your loaf. That's what works for me.

elbrant
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    Dies the floor make any difference for dried berries? I know the trick for raw or frozen ones. – rumtscho Jan 05 '19 at 09:08
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    Thanks, but this seems more suited to batter than to dough made in a bread machine. – Ellen Spertus Jan 05 '19 at 20:19
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    Try the floured berry trick, Ellen. It may help suspend them in the batter - even in a bread machine. (I will confess that I don't own a bread machine, so no way for me to test it by that method.) – elbrant Jan 06 '19 at 06:12