Excalibur EXC10EL Manual page 25

FRUITS
You'll have fun drying fruit; it's one of the oldest and most popular dehydrated foods . Enjoy dried fruit as a naturally sweet snack, in
your favorite recipes, candied, or in good tasting leathers . Apples, peaches, bananas, and pears are long-time dehydrating favorites .
But why stick to the tried and true? Dare to dry dates, have a fling with figs, or perk yourself up with persimmons . Challenge yourself
to master them all!
general Rules for Dehydrating Fruits
Before we take a look at specific dehydrating techniques for specific fruits, let's review some of the important points of drying fruits .
Preparation and Pretreatment . For a high quality end product, choose only a high quality, mature fruit . When fruits are mature their
natural sugar content and nutritional content is high . Remove the moisture quickly to prevent spoilage . Use only firm fruit to dry into
slices . overripe and bruised fruits may turn black and look burnt . Bananas are also best when the fruit has brown speckles on the
peel . When the skin has turned black, the banana may be pureed for leather or used to make banana bread .
If fruits (or vegetables) are to be dried with skins on, they should be washed thoroughly . In all likelihood, many of them have been
commercially waxed or sprayed if purchased at a market . Most waxes and sprays can be removed by washing in a biodegradable
cleaner or a vinegar water solution and then rinsing in clear water . If, however, the wax or spray cannot be removed, we recommend
peeling before drying . Some fruits, like grapes and certain berries, have a natural wax coating that must be removed by checking .
See Chapter 3 for checking instructions . Since quality begins to deteriorate the minute you start washing, prepare only as much fruit
as you can dry at one time .
Uniform slicing can make a big difference in how evenly your fruit dries; pieces of differing thickness will require varied drying times .
The smaller you make the slices, the faster the drying time and the better the quality . Small fruits, like berries, can be left whole, but
larger ones should be halved, sliced, or diced . Trim away any unavoidable bruised areas .
There are pros and cons for peeling . Try fruits both ways to find the method you prefer . There are many ways to pretreat fruit . They
are discussed in the pretreatment section in Chapter 3 . Here again it is a matter of individual preference . The only way to discover
the method you like best is to try different ways .
Dehydrating
Most fruits do not have strong odors, so feel free to dry them together . What odors do exist are kept from mixing by the horizontal
airflow of quality dehydrators . Arrange the fruit in a single layer on the drying trays, leaving some space between pieces for better
air circulation . The skin side (if left on) should be down to prevent juice from dripping . Small berries should be stirred occasionally to
promote uniform drying . Do not add fresh fruit to a batch that is nearly dry; the increased humidity will cause the partially dried food
to reabsorb moisture and possibly spoil . For exact instructions, refer to the fruit dehydrating guide . Remember: Your times may vary
considerably from those listed .
Testing
Since dried fruits are generally eaten without being rehydrated, they should not be dehydrated to the point of brittleness . Most fruits
should have a 10 to 20% moisture content when dried .
Cool several pieces of fruit and test for dryness . Cut the pieces in half; there should be no visible
moisture . Now feel and taste-they should be anywhere from pliable to brittle depending on the
particular fruit . It's better to have the fruit a little too dry than to have it too moist and run the risk
of molding . When you are satisfied that the fruit is dry, cool it in the dehydrator or in a bowl for 30
minutes to 1 hour, and then remove and package .
Blueberry Cookies
WHAT YOU NEED:
2 cups Blueberries
2 cups Almonds
blanch & soak over night
1 cup soaked raisins (small cup)
HOW TO PREPARE:
Blend all ingredients to a crumby
consistency . Drop 1 teaspoon of mixture on
Excalibur® dehydrator tray . Dehydrate at
115°F for 18-22 hours until dry . Turn cookies
over about halfway through drying cycle .
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