Apricot is a small, sweet fruit with a stone inside. It is particularly suitable for drying thanks to its sweet pulp. Homemade dried apricots can be dehydrated in the oven or with a dehydrator. They make a great snack or a great addition to a recipe.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Dry the Apricots in the Oven
Step 1. Buy apricots when they are fully ripe
Unripe fruit can be sour when dried. If they are grown in your area, wait until the “canning offer” season ends, so you can get some ripe fruit to use right away, instead of keeping it at home to eat it plain.
Step 2. Look for big discounts in your supermarket
Apricots will be ripe in late summer, or sometimes between July and September, depending on the year.
Step 3. Ripen the still unripe apricots by placing them on the window in a paper bag
If you are concerned that your apricots are getting too ripe before you can dry them, you can refrigerate them for up to a week.
Step 4. Wash the apricots thoroughly
Leave them to soak in water for a few minutes to remove the dirt and then rinse them under running water. Discard the bruised apricots.
Step 5. Remove the core
You should cut them in half along the indentation, and then you can remove the core.
Step 6. Flip the apricots
Push the outer part to lift the inner part upwards, so that there is more pulp exposed to the air. Then you will dry them with the inside facing up.
Step 7. Take a baking sheet and line it with parchment paper
If you have a large oven rack, place the apricots directly in it to reduce drying times.
Step 8. Place the apricot halves on the wire rack, or directly on the parchment paper
Make sure they are well spaced from each other.
Step 9. Turn on the oven to the lowest temperature
They will dry best at temperatures below 93 ° C. 79 ° C will be fine for drying apricots.
Step 10. Insert each rack into the oven so that it is well spaced from the others
Place the trays with the racks in the oven.
Step 11. Wait at least 10 to 12 hours for the apricots to dry
Turn them over halfway through the drying process to make sure they also dry on the other side. When ready they should be slightly soft but rough.
The cooking time varies according to the size of the apricots and the temperature at which you dry them. They will take less time if they dry at 79 ° C instead of 65 ° C
Method 2 of 2: Dry the Apricots with a Dehydrator
Step 1. Choose ripe apricots
Wash them with fresh water, following the procedure of method one.
Step 2. Stone the apricots
Cut the apricots along the inlet with a small knife. Remove and discard the core.
Step 3. Separate the two halves and turn them over
Leave the peel. Push the outer core until the inner pulp is completely stretched.
Step 4. Remove the dehydrator grid tray
Place the apricots on the tray with the pulp facing up. Make sure there is enough space between each piece of fruit for a greater flow of air.
Step 5. Put the trays back into the dehydrator
Turn on the dehydrator at 57 ° C. Read the instruction booklet to find out if this temperature matches a low, medium or high configuration of your dehydrator.
Step 6. Wait about 12 hours or until the timer sounds
Larger apricots will take longer.
Step 7. Store the dried apricots in sealed glass jars
Place them in a cool, dark place, such as in the pantry.
Advice
- Separate the large and small apricots in two different batches. If you dry apricots of various sizes together you will have very dry apricots and others that are too moist and with a greater risk of becoming rotten.
- You can rehydrate dried apricots by soaking them in fruit juice for about 2-4 hours. Then you can use them for recipes that call for fresh fruit.
- You can add sweetness to dried apricots by mixing 237ml of water, 59ml of lemon juice and honey. Soak the apricots in the mixture for a few minutes before placing them on the dehydrator racks.
