How to make dried fruits at home

The benefits of highly fortified dry fruits in winter are hard to overestimate. They are included in the diet as an independent dish, used for baking, stewed fruit and warming drinks. Proper drying allows you to save vitamins and trace elements. Dried fruits are not inferior to their fresh counterparts, while they can be made at home on their own.

Preparing fruits and berries before drying

To get not only delicious, but also a beautiful product, fruits must first be prepared. Apples, pears, grapes, plum, apricot are perfectly washed under running water. With this, it is more difficult when preparing tender berries for drying. They quickly give juice and lose their shape.

Properly prepare fruits and berries for the drying procedure - this is the key to success

There is a simple preparation algorithm, following which you can get high-quality dried fruits at home:

1. Each fruit is washed or carefully wiped from dust and dirt.
2. Wet fruits are laid out on paper towels to dry.
3. The middle or bone must be removed.
4. Small fruits dry up completely, and large need to be cut into small slices.

To get high-quality dried fruit, you need to choose only ripe fruits. If there are beaten places, pockets of rotting and wormholes, then they are cut out. Damage spoil the appearance and damage the product. At the discretion of the hostess, the skin of the fruit is removed or remains. It has long been known that most vitamins are concentrated in the peel.

Ways to dry at home

The natural method of drying is distinguished by modern technologies. Among the hostesses there are many supporters of one and the other. With large volumes of products the natural way is the most affordable and profitable. A small amount of fruit can be cooked in one of the kitchen units.

Use dryers

The dryer makes it possible not to be distracted from economic affairs, it performs all the functions itself.

The unit most convenient for drying is the VOLTERA 1000 Lux electric dryer. Its disadvantage is only small volumes, which give only shelving. The instructions for the unit indicate the time and temperature of drying for each product.

The dryer gives the chance not to distract from economic affairs. It performs all the functions itself. It is enough to put the sliced ​​fruit on the trays and set the desired mode. The temperature for hard fruits, such as apples and pears, can be increased to 70 degrees. Fruits with tender pulp will be fixed at 50.

To make candied fruits, it is necessary to lightly powder the slices with powdered sugar. Despite the fact that the process is fully automated, it is necessary to check the degree of drying, and if necessary, turn the fruit.

In the oven

In the conditions of an apartment with a small amount of the original product can be stilled in the oven. This option is suitable for making candied fruit from tender fruits such as: kiwi, banana, pineapple.

Before you dry the fruit in the oven, you need to carefully sort through, reject overripe and immature, remove the tails, leaves and stalks

Fruit slices are laid out on a baking sheet covered with parchment. They are sprinkled with sugar and left at a temperature of 40-50 degrees for several hours. Periodically it is necessary to turn the candied fruit and open the door to evaporate excess moisture. The process takes from 6 to 7 hours. For each fruit its time frame. It depends on the juiciness, hardness of the fruit and the thickness of the cut. The maximum temperature should not exceed 70 degrees. At the initial and final stage - more than 50.

In the sun

A reliable method for winter harvesting of dried fruit is offered by nature itself. The sun's rays are well roasted fruits, eliminating excess moisture. Time drying takes more, but each piece absorbs the summer heat.

This method of drying requires a long time: 3 - 15 days

1. Fruits should be washed and wiped so that there is no water on the peel.
2. Fruits are cleared of pits and hearts, cut into slices or circles.
3. Fruits are laid out on wooden racks, cartons or nets, placed horizontally, in a single layer.
4. On top of everything covered with gauze, as the sweet juice collects a large number of insects who want to eat.
5. Shelving should be put on a sunny place. Unlike greens, fruits are not afraid of his direct hit.
6. At night, racks can be put in a cool place.
7. On each side the slices are dried for 2 days. After the allotted time they must be turned.

The more sunlight the fruits absorb, the tastier and more fragrant they will be. Products are stored in linen bags or containers with sealed lids.

Fruits and berries amenable to drying. For very juicy fruits need more time. The duration of the process also depends on the thickness of the slices, layer size, temperature and ventilation. Candied fruits make it longer, as it is necessary to set a lower degree so that the sugar does not start to burn. It must be borne in mind that when drying, the fruit produces its own glucose.