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Ingredients for DEHYDRATED APRICOTS
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Yield: around
125g
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Apricots (any variety)
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900g
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Lemon Juice
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1 cup
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Water
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4 cups
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METHOD:
1. Before you begin: disconnect the dehydrator from the power point.
Clean dehydrator racks, base and fruit roll trays in warm, mild soapy water.
Rinse and dry each part thoroughly. Wipe lid and frames with a damp, soft
sponge with a mild detergent. Do not use steel wool, scouring pads or abrasive
cleaners. Do not place any parts in a dishwasher. Always follow the dehydrator manual
instructions. Ensure the dehydrator is unplugged before reassembling. Ensure
hands, utensils and food preparation areas are clean before preparing food.
2. Wash apricots.
4. Halve and remove pits.
5. Slice apricots 5mm thick (a mandolin is helpful
to create even slices or cut them all thicker if desired) – try to keep all
slices the same thickness so they dehydrate at the same rate.
Apricots can also be left as halves or diced if you
prefer.
6. Combine lemon juice and water in a bowl. Soak
sliced apricots in lemon water for 3-4 minutes to reduce oxidation. Drain and
pat dry.
7. Place sliced apricots onto dehydrator trays,
skin side down where applicable, leaving a little space around each piece to
allow air
circulation. If drying
apricots in halves, press in the middle of each piece to flatten a little (like
making thumbprint cookies).8. Place
dehydrator trays onto the base (or into the dehydrator frame), alternating the
directions with each tier for round models and ensuring all racks/shelves are
securely positioned.
9. Place
the lid on the top drying rack (or close the door for square-shaped units).
10. Plug
the power cord into a power outlet and set the dehydrator temperature to 55°C (130°F) and timer to 14-20 hours (depending on
the fruit thickness and dehydrator model, this time may vary).
11. Rotate racks on round dehydrators every 3-4 hours to ensure all
racks dry evenly.12. Cool
dehydrated apricots before placing into storage containers or bags.
13. Test apricots
have dried properly by cutting a piece open. There should be no moisture
visible inside. Apricots will be pliable, crack or flake, depending on the
thickness and time dehydrated.
14. Store dehydrated apricots in an airtight jar, container or vacuum
sealer bag in the pantry, refrigerator or freezer, at a temperature of 5-20°C
(40-70°F). Check for moisture forming on the container during the first week
after drying – if moisture appears, food has not been dried enough and needs to
be dehydrated further (or frozen). Dried food can also be covered in plastic
wrap (or vacuum sealed) and stored in a freezer safe container.
15. Enjoy
dehydrated apricots dry or rehydrate by soaking in water (or adding to dishes
during cooking).
FLAVOUR
IDEAS:
Add extra flavour to prepared
apricots (on dehydrator trays ready to dry) by sprinkling one or more of the
following (or adding liquid and mixing lightly) before dehydrating;
o Black pepper
o Cardamom
o Cinnamon
o Ginger
o Lemon
o Orange
o Vanilla
Author:
Megan Radaich
Image Credit: Megan Radaich