Canning and Preserving For Dummies (50 page)

Enjoying the Labors of Your Drying

Most dried fruit is used just as it’s stored after the drying process. It’s great added to hot or cold cereal or baking batters. It’s perfect if you’re always on the go: It travels well and can be eaten right out of the container. For a fun twist to your teas, add a few dried berries to your teapot before steeping. The berries will lightly infuse the pot of tea with sweetness.

If you prefer your dried fruit a bit chewier, soften or rehydrate it.
Rehydrating
is the process of adding moisture back to the fruit. Use rehydrated fruit right away because it’s not dry enough to go back on the shelf without spoiling.

Your rehydrating options are

Boiling water:
Place the desired amount of fruit in a bowl. Cover the fruit with boiling water, allowing it to stand for 5 to 10 minutes to plump, or add moisture, to your fruit. Use this method when adding fruit to jams, chutney, or baked goods. Substitute fruit juice or wine for water.

Steaming:
Place your fruit in a steamer or a colander over a pot of boiling water (refer to steam blanching earlier in this chapter). Steam your fruit for 3 to 5 minutes or until the fruit plumps.

Sprinkling:
Put your fruit in a shallow bowl. Sprinkle the fruit with water or fruit juice. Allow it to soak in the moisture. Repeat the process until the fruit reaches the level of moistness you desire.

When chopping dried fruit, spraying your knife with no-stick cooking spray keeps the fruit from sticking to your knife.

Dried Fruit Medley

A great blend for a quick and nutritious snack, make up small packages to grab and go.

Preparation time:
15 minutes

Yield:
4 1/2 cups

1/2 cup toasted almonds

1/2 cup sunflower seeds

1/2 cup dried apples, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1/2 cup dried apricots, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1/2 cup dried banana slices

1/2 cup dried pears, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1/2 cup dried pineapple, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1/2 cup raisins

1
Place all the ingredients in a large bowl; stir to combine and distribute the fruit and nuts evenly.

2
Store your mix in home-canning jars or other airtight containers.

Vary It!
Mix in a little bit of chocolate, such as M+M-type candies.

Per 1/2-cup serving:
Calories 267 (From fat 83); Fat 9g (Saturated 1g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 5mg; Carbohydrates 47g (Dietary fiber 6g); Protein 6g.

Fruit and Bran Muffins

Personalize this hearty muffin by using your favorite dried fruits and nuts.

Preparation time:
25 minutes

Baking time:
20 to 25 minutes

Yield:
16 to 20 muffins

11/2 cups whole-bran cereal (not bran flakes)

1/2 cup boiling water

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup honey

1/4 cup melted unsalted butter

1 1/2 cups mixed dried fruit, your combination choice

1/2 cup chopped macadamia nuts

1/2 cup whole-wheat flour

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Spray a muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray.

2
Combine the bran cereal with water in a large mixing bowl. Stir to moisten the cereal. Cool the mixture until it’s lukewarm. Stir in the egg, buttermilk, honey, butter, dried fruit, and nuts; mix well. Set aside.

3
Combine the flours, salt, and baking soda in a small mixing bowl. Add this to the wet ingredients, stirring just until the ingredients are evenly moist. Spoon the batter into your prepared muffin pan, filling each cup about 3/4 full.

4
Bake the muffins for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool the muffins for 5 minutes in the pan; remove them from the pan and place them on a rack to cool completely. Wrap them individually in plastic wrap or store them in an airtight container.

Per 1-muffin serving:
Calories 199 (From fat 87); Fat 10g (Saturated 4g); Cholesterol 29mg; Sodium 225mg; Carbohydrates 28g (Dietary fiber 3g); Protein 3g.

Fruit Leather

Fruit leather is dried puréed fruit rolled up in plastic (see Figure 17-2). The result is a chewy, fruity, taffylike treat. Some good choices for fruit leathers are apples, apricots, berries, cherries, nectarines, peaches, pears, pineapple, and plums. If you try drying nothing else, fruit leather is a
must
have. It is so delicious, your family will never guess how nutritious it actually is.

Preparation time:
20 minutes or longer, depending on the amount and type of fruit

Drying time:
Depends on the amount of moisture in your fruit; allow 6 to 8 hours in an electric dehydrator or up to 18 hours in a conventional oven. Sun-drying isn’t recommended.

Yield: 4
cups of fruit purée makes 8 to 12 servings; 2 1/2 cups covers an 18-x-14-inch area, 1/4-inch thick

One of any of the following fresh fruits:

2 to 3 pounds apples (about 8 to 12)

3 to 4 pound apricots (about 24)

3 to 4 pound peaches (about 8 to 12)

4 pints strawberries

Water or fruit juice (optional)

Corn syrup or honey (optional)

1/8 teaspoon ground spices (optional): choose from allspice, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, mace, nutmeg, or pumpkin pie spice

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon pure extract flavors (optional): choose from almond, lemon, orange, or vanilla

1
Cover your drying trays or baking sheets with a heavy-duty, food-grade plastic wrap. If your dehydrator comes with special sheets for your trays, use those.

2
Wash your fruit and remove any blemishes. Prepare your fruit as directed in the guidelines for preparing fruit in this chapter.

3
Purée the fruit in a blender until smooth. Strain out any small seeds, if desired, with a mesh strainer or a food mill. If your purée is too thick, add water or fruit juice, 1 tablespoon or less at a time. If your purée is too tart, add corn syrup or honey, 1 teaspoon at a time. If you’re adding spices or other flavorings, add them now.

4
Spread the purée onto the prepared trays to a thickness of 1/8-inch in the center and 1/4-inch-thick around the edges (you want the edges thicker than the center because the edges dry faster). If you use cooked fruit, it must be completely cool before spreading it on the trays.

5
Dry your fruit leather at a temperature of 135 degrees in a dehydrator or 140 degrees in a conventional oven. Dry the fruit until it’s pliable and leatherlike with no stickiness in the center.

6
Roll the warm fruit leather, still attached to the plastic, into a roll. Leave the rolls whole, or cut them into pieces with scissors. Store the rolls in a plastic bag or an airtight container.

Note:
The spice flavoring will intensify as this dries. Use a light hand, and no more than 1/8 of a teaspoon total in each batch.

Per 1/2-cup serving of apple purèe:
Calories 55 (From fat 3); Fat 0g (Saturated 0g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 0mg; Carbohydrates 14g (Dietary fiber 2g); Protein 0g.

Per 1/2-cup serving of apricot purèe:
Calories 76 (From fat 6); Fat 1g (Saturated 0g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 2mg; Carbohydrates 18g (Dietary fiber 4g); Protein 2g.

Per 1/2-cup serving of peach purèe:
Calories 64 (From fat 1); Fat 0g (Saturated 0g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 0mg; Carbohydrates 16g (Dietary fiber 3g); Protein 1g.

Per 1/2-cup serving of strawberry purèe:
Calories 43 (From fat 5); Fat 1g (Saturated 0g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 1mg; Carbohydrates 10g (Dietary fiber 3g); Protein 1g.