Dried Fruit Lasts Longer and Tastes Good
Drying fruit can make it last longer. Dried fruit can be stored in plastic bags or in storing jars. Storing jars can be found at just about any store and they aren’t overly expensive either. Be sure to store your dried fruit in a cool dark place. This ensures its freshness longer. Dried fruit will last at least two weeks if stored correctly.
That’s about all the equipment you need to dry fruit. Of course you will also need the oven or microwave. Drying fruit in the oven will also mean the need for drying racks to lay the fruit on during the process,
You will also need to decide what fruit you would like to dry. The best part of this is that most fruits dry well. Apples, plums, bananas, apricots, grapes and even tomatoes are easy to dry. If you prefer citrus type fruits such as oranges or grapefruit dry the peel because the fruit itself will not dry well and become mushy.
If you are drying apples or pineapple be sure to remove the peel before drying. The peel will affect the taste of these types of fruit. Other fruits such as grapes and apricots you do not need to peel first. Slice the fruit into bite size pieces. Tomatoes don’t need to be peeled but should be quartered and sprinkled with a little salt before drying.
Place the fruit in a single layer on a drying rack in the oven. Place the temperature on 100 to 120 degrees. Rotate the fruit as necessary. Some pieces will dry much faster than others. Remove these pieces so they do not over dry and become rubbery or even hard. Tomatoes need to dry at least 24 hours. The oven is the only way to effectively dry tomatoes.
Fruit can also be dried in the microwave. Place the fruit pieces right on the turntable. Be sure to leave a small space between each piece so the air can flow evenly and dry the fruit completely. Place the setting on defrost. Microwave the fruit for thirty minutes. Check the fruit and if not completely dry continue to microwave for short periods of time until the fruit is dried through.
Once the fruit is dried remove it to a cooling rack. Go ahead and try some as soon as they are done. You will find that dried fruits taste great. They have a sweet taste that stays with every bite. If you are going to store your fruit allow it to cool down to room temperature before placing it in a sandwich bag or jar.
Dried fruit does last longer and it really does taste good. It is a great substitute for candy, chips and cookies anytime of the day. It’s healthier and it can save you money in the long run. Next time you go to the store pick up a few extra pieces of fruit and try drying. You might find that all the other sweet things you eat just don’t add up to the great taste of your own dried fruit.
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