How to cook dried bananas at home

In search of healthy sweets, you can pay attention to dried fruits and candied fruits. Such products are valued for a large amount of vitamins and trace elements. Their caloric content is much lower than that of sweets. One of the banal snacks - dried bananas. They can be used as a separate dish or mixed with various additives. Dried fruits have a pleasant texture, delicate aroma and natural sweetness. They are stored for a long time, do not take up much space and are great for eating on the road, the gym or at work.

The specifics of drying at home

Ideal for drying small fruits

Drying helps remove excess moisture from fruits, which increases their shelf life. In addition, in the fruits prepared in this way, the concentration of nutrients increases, and hence their nutritional value and digestibility.

The drying process takes place at a temperature not higher than 40 degrees; this ensures a decrease in humidity in the product. At the same time, the enzymes are activated and give a special taste and aroma to the fruits, making their consistency elastic and resilient. Pieces should not crumble or break.

Ideal in size are considered small baby bananas. By removing the peel of such fruits can be withered entirely. Larger specimens are cut into 4 pieces or large circles. At thin cutting slices turn out more dry.

To save the color of bananas is recommended to prepare. For this, the slices are briefly dipped in cold water with the addition of lemon juice. After that, they are removed and allowed to dry.

Methods for the preparation of dried fruit

You can wilt the fruit in several ways.

There are three ways to do the drying at home. For fruits, choose a technology that provides quick drying in a warm wind or in a draft, preventing rotting and spoilage.

How to dry bananas in the oven

Cooking bananas in the oven is a quick and affordable way of processing, each housewife has his own recipe. After preliminary preparation, the fruits are laid out on a baking sheet or wire rack, leaving small distances between them. To prevent the slices from sticking, it is covered with perforated parchment paper and lightly oiled with vegetable oil.

The process of drying in the oven

The oven is heated to forty degrees and placed there a sheet with blanks. To get dried fruit in the oven turn on the ventilation or leave the door ajar. Slices need to be inverted for uniform loss of moisture. Bananas are reduced in size (by 1/5 part). Cooking time depends on the size of the pieces and the temperature inside the oven (about 4-8 hours). A characteristic white bloom appears on the surface of the finished bananas.

Pros:

• availability;
• rapidity;
• notch portions.

When slicing too thin, you get chips

Minuses:

• constant temperature control;
• the need for turning over;
• probability of getting a boiled product.

In the electric dryer

In the electric dryer VOLTERA 1000 Lux, bananas are smoother and more beautiful. The processing process is automated. Mugs spread on a tray, leaving gaps, and set the time. A powerful fan and the presence of holes in the grate dry the fruit without additional turning. After the timer is turned off, the dried fruits are ready. They need to put in a large bowl and leave for two hours.

Dehydration process

Pros:

• ease of use;
• natural look.

Minuses:

• energy consumption;
• the need for moisture leveling (in an open bowl).

In the sun

Drying naturally more preferably. This method completely eliminates the effects of high temperatures, which can reduce the amount of vitamins and change the taste of the final product.

Drying in the open air

Prepared bananas are wrapped in cheesecloth and suspended by thread high from the ground in the sunlight. They can also be laid out on special wooden pallets in a horizontal position. A prerequisite for quality finished dried fruit is a draft and dry hot weather. At night, such blanks are brought into the house and put in the sun only after the dew dries out.

Pros:

• profitability;
• environmental friendliness.

Minuses:

• weather effects;
• the presence of insects and birds;
• labor intensity;
• the duration of the process (2-4 days).

Dried fruits in the open air are the most beneficial to health.

Ready-made banana slices put in a bag, plastic containers, glass jars. They are well kept in the refrigerator or in the closet throughout the year. The container with dried bananas must be tightly closed. This will prolong their storage time, eliminate the penetration of pests and weathering.

Dried fruits can be used instead of sweets, added to cereals, curd mass, decorate pastries. To get the original sound of the dish, the chefs use shavings of dried bananas in sauces for meat dishes and in warm salads. The ground mass is used in cosmetology and for domestic use.

In addition to bananas, read also about dried apples, about the preparation of chips from vegetables and fruits and about the fragrant dried melon.