The abundance of apples in the summer allows you to cook many different dishes from them, stocking up vitamins for the long winter. After stewed fruit and jams, the next most popular type of home preservation is fruit drying. Often, fruit processing is the most acceptable and practical solution. Firstly, the use of any additional ingredients (especially sugar) is not required. Secondly, there is virtually no storage container (glass jars can be replaced with plain paper bags). Thirdly, the cooking technology does not require continuous stirring, shifting, etc. It is enough to send the sliced pieces to the oven and select the desired temperature and time mode. The technology provides knowledge of certain secrets on how to dry apples. After all, even this, at first glance, such a simple job requires a certain skill. In the article you will find recommendations on how to dry apples in the oven in several ways. Choose the most suitable option for you and get to work.
How to dry apples the most practical way - in the oven or in the sun?
On hot summer days, sometimes the column of a thermometer located in the shade (which is especially typical for the southern regions of the country) rises above 40 ° . And about how hot it is under the scorching sun, and no need to talk. Therefore, many housewives dry apples and other fruits directly in the fresh air, without using an oven. How practical and practical is it? The first task with this variant of heat treatment is to protect products from various flying insects. Therefore, ropes with strung apple slices that are suspended for better air circulation are wrapped with gauze. In addition, it is important to determine the right degree of readiness in time to avoid overdrying the fruits, which can make them too fragile.
Is it possible and how to dry apples in the oven as a whole?
It is best to use chopped slices for drying. Indeed, the whole fruit, baked in the oven, turns due to the voluminous meaty part into a sweet dessert. Even with an increase in time and a decrease in temperature, getting dry whole apples is quite problematic.
Tips for pre-processing and then drying apples in the oven
Many housewives bring some novelty to the drying technology. Thanks to the tricks used, the cooking time is slightly reduced, and the finished product acquires new shades of taste. We list the main options for pre-processing fruit slices before drying apples in the oven:
- boil for 3-5 minutes in water with citric acid (0.5 tsp. per 1 liter);
- hold for 30 minutes in a slightly salted solution (1 teaspoon per 1 liter);
- place for 10-15 minutes in a colander over boiling water;
- pour a day with strong hot syrup (per 1 liter of 1 kg of sugar).
After soaking apples with solutions, let them dry. Only then put the slices on a wire rack or baking sheet. Dry at a temperature of 50-55 ° C for at least 4-5 hours. Store ready-made dried fruits in glass containers or paper bags.