Tree ripened. Picked by hand, sliced and dried. Dehydrated persimmon slices retain a delicious aroma and texture and are suitable for baking, snacking or serving with cereal, porridge or added to granola. Drying them at home also avoids the preservatives that are added to commercial dried fruit.
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Ingredients
for DEHYDRATED PERSIMMONS
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Yield: Approx.
150g
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Fuyu
Persimmons*
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1kg
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*Non-astringent persimmon variety. Use firm,
ripe, tasty fruit. Skin left on or peeled off.
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METHOD:1. Wash persimmons and pat dry. Discard petals and blemished fruit. Peel if desired (optional). Prepare firm, ripe, tasty persimmons by slicing them evenly, 5mm (1/4 inch) to 1cm (3/8 inch) so that all the slices dry at the same rate. Weigh the prepared fruit.
2. Arrange persimmon slices onto dehydrator trays, with room around each piece so it dries evenly. Dry on fruit setting until pliable and almost crisp, for 11-19 hours.
3. Cool fruit to room temperature.
4. Check dehydrated persimmon weight and check there is no moisture present. Dried persimmons will bend, have no moisture inside and will have a leathery texture.
5. Store dehydrated persimmons in vacuum sealed bags or jars, at room temperature, or in the refrigerator or freezer if desired.
TIPS:
o A mandolin is an efficient way to slice lots of persimmons evenly;
o The thicker the persimmons are sliced, the longer the time required in the dehydrator;
o Dehydration time periods may vary – refer to your manual for directions;
o 1kg of whole fresh persimmons sliced and dehydrated will weigh approximately 150g;
o Don’t have a dehydrator? You can dry in your oven on a low temperature for several hours.
FLAVOUR IDEAS:
Add extra flavour to the prepared fruit by sprinkling one or more of the following before (or after) dehydrating:
o Brown sugar
o Cinnamon
o Lemon
o Orange
o Vanilla
Author: Megan Radaich
Image Credit: Megan Radaich
Publication: www.foodpreserving.org