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Dehydrated fruit has a variety of uses. Regardless of whether you want to experience the pleasure of the sweet fruit or want to store it for a longer period of time, Dörren is ideal for this. There are numerous dehydrators on the market for kitchen appliances that are designed to facilitate the dehydration process and conjure up sweet dried fruit within a few hours. However, it is also possible to dry fruit effectively and without additional costs in the oven.
Suitable fruits and berries
During the drying process, most of the moisture contained in the fruit is removed. After that, the fruit only has a moisture content of 20%, which means that it can be stored without refrigeration up to one year allows. With the loss of moisture, the sugar content of the fruit also increases. This gives them their unmistakable sweetness. In addition, the aromas are intensified by the drying process, which makes dried fruit popular with many people. Due to the moisture required, only certain types of fruit can be dried:
- apples
- pears
- plums
- grapes
- strawberries
- kiwis
- cherries
- peaches
- apricots
- Berries like raspberries, blackberries, goji, gooseberries and many more
- dates
- figs
- bananas
- papayas
- mangoes
- pineapple
All of these have sufficient water content and can therefore be dried in the oven without any problems. Apples, pears, strawberries, bananas, dates, figs and grapes are particularly suitable.
If you want to dry grapes, you have three different options depending on the grape variety and drying process:
- Sultanas: Sultana grapes are sprayed with a solution of olive oil and potash and dried
- Raisins: different grape varieties in viticulture are washed and dried
- Currants: Korinthiaki grapes are washed and dried
Then there would be the Zibeben. These are grapes that are dried directly on the vine in the sun. There is a wide range of fruits to dry and enjoy. Best of all, the aromas of the individual varieties are enhanced by the drying process, especially with apples.
tip: In addition to the fruits mentioned above, you can also dehydrate a number of nuts, vegetables, fruit vegetables and other foods in the oven. These include peppers, olives, tomatoes, numerous mushrooms, various herbs, aubergines, legumes such as wheat or barley, walnuts, hazelnuts, coconuts and Brazil nuts.
preparation
Preparation is essential before putting the apples, bananas or other fruit in the oven to dry. The oven is particularly important here. Because not every device is suitable for this. Your device should have a recirculation function feature. In contrast to top or bottom heat, this significantly shortens the drying process. The circulating air function is equivalent to a dehydrator, which is why modern devices are well suited for this task. Although it is possible to dry fruit without this function, it just takes much longer. The preparation of the fruit before drying is as follows:
1. Use ripe fruit
Only use ripe fruit. Because this has the most flavors and an excellent sugar content. Whereas you should never choose an overripe or too soft fruit, let alone one that is already rotten. These dry less well and can start to mold when drying. Likewise should the fruit not damaged but pressure points are not a problem.
2. Peel fruit
You can peel apples and pears if you want, but the peel still contains enough vitamins even after the process. You should peel other types of fruit such as kiwis, bananas, mangoes, pineapples and papayas beforehand, as the peels are not edible and only delay the drying process.
3. Core the fruit
Remove the cores, pips, green plant parts and everything else that is not edible from the fruit. In contrast, you can leave grapes, dates, figs and berries in one piece and do not have to remove anything from them.
But remember: Strawberries must not be dried with the green parts of the plant. You should also choose grapes that are seedless. The classic grapes for drying are seedless, but not found in every market.
4. Cut fruit
Now cut the apples, pears and other fruits. You should be careful not to cut too thick slices, as they take longer to dry. The different cuts as follows:
- Thinly slice the apples, kiwis, pears, bananas, pineapple, papaya, mangoes and strawberries
- Halve stone fruit such as peaches, apricots, plums and cherries and remove the stone
- Halve and deseed the grapes first
- Also spray the grapes with a solution of 5 ml lemon juice and 500 ml water
First of all, the slices and halves should be one even size exhibit. This will prevent one sheet from having to dry longer than the other. In addition, there is the avoidance of possible mold formation, which occurs if the food is stored for too long.
For drying, cut the strawberries into thin slices
Be careful not to leave the fruit in the open air for too long after cutting to prevent spoilage. Also prepare the following items:
- Parchment paper if you use wire racks
enough kitchen paper if you use baking trays
While the parchment paper allows good air circulation on the grids without the fruit falling into the oven, the kitchen paper absorbs the escaping moisture from the dried fruit. As a result, they do not stick to the baking sheet and can be easily removed.
tip: Another advantage of ovens with a convection or convection function is the possibility of being able to dry several trays at once. Because air circulates inside the oven, all fruit is dried in the same way. This shortens the drying time and prevents the fruit from burning.
Dry fruit in the oven
Once you've got the fruit and utensils ready, you're ready to dehydrate them. Please note that the drying process in the oven takes much longer compared to the drying device. Nevertheless, the results are just as effective and the dried fruits delight with their sweet aroma at the end. The duration is highly dependent on the type of fruit, thickness and the temperature you have set. On average you have to go with 4 hours expected, but the process can extend over a period of two days, especially when it comes to solid pulp.
manual
Proceed as follows when drying:
- Preheat the oven to a temperature of 40 °C
- the temperature range is between 20 °C and 60 °C
- if the temperatures are too low, the risk of mold growth increases
- if the temperature is too high, fruit acid escapes and the fruit cannot dry
- Dehydrate apple and pear slices at 60 °C as they have very firm flesh
- Arrange the fruit on the trays or grids
- Several trays possible in the oven at once
- for ovens with convection function: close the oven door
- for ovens without this function: leave the door ajar
- this transports moist air out of the furnace
- trays and grids vary in height during the drying process
- Turn fruit slices and pieces at regular intervals
- this allows sufficient warm air to reach the underside
Proceed in this way until the fruit has dried. How to tell if the fruit is done:
- soft
- elastic
- not soggy
- not wet
After drying, let the fruit cool down for a while. You can easily remove the tray or grid from the oven. Then fill the fruit in sealable glasses or other airtight Container.