How to dry figs at home

How to dry figs at home? The issue for residents of the southern regions is not relevant. But for those who, returning from a vacation at sea, brought along a bucket of ripe delicious figs, our article will come in handy. Because you still don’t have time to eat them. Figs begin to deteriorate already at 3 days at room temperature. In the refrigerator - for 5 days.

Frozen figs during thawing turn into a slippery unappetizing mass. Therefore, drying is the best way to store figs. By the way, dried figs in the freezer can easily lie down to 2 years. In room conditions, it is stored for up to 10 months. And processed with sugar syrup and dried - only 30 days. But first things first.

How to prepare figs for drying

In principle, nothing complicated or abstruse is required. The fruits must be sorted out. Crumpled or beaten to eat immediately. Scratched can also be eaten. Or cook for drying.

The next step is to wash the fruit. Someone will say that in the south figs are not washed before drying. Well, they collect them from under the tree and immediately drag them to dry. And you drove several thousand kilometers. Anyway, do not curry up! Wash whom I say! From childhood, they taught: everything that you pull in your mouth, everything needs to be washed. But you still didn’t come to admire the dried figs, you will eat it.

Then the fruits are dried on a sieve or an old thick towel. Paper kitchen also works. Just do not rub the figs while washing, and trying to remove the remaining water after. Too thin and delicate skin is easily damaged even by simple pressing. Let the water dry on its own.

Dried figs can be whole fruits or chopped into halves or quarters. The form does not affect the final result in any way, the taste qualities also do not change. The principle of personal preference and aesthetic perception applies here. For example, a purely feminine "I so wanted, so I cut it." As convenient as they do.

Tip. When buying figs, know that yellow is better for drying, and purple for jam.

Where to dry figs

In the southern regions, this issue does not arise. The climate itself is conducive to drying outside in the hot sun. In the middle lane and to the north, such heat can not be seen. But, if the weather is clear and unusually warm, then you can try this method.

First, prepare the grate. Any henchman. It is very important that the figs are blown with fresh air from above and below. If you spread them on a baking sheet, then the fruits can simply ferment or begin to rot. Figs are laid out on a wire rack and put in a sunny, well-ventilated place.

It is advisable to cover the entire structure with a thin non-woven material or dense gauze. And from below too. Wasps, fruit flies and a whole bunch of insects also like to taste the sweet pulp. From them, and such tricks are needed.

The drying process lasts about 5 days, with breaks at night. By the way, in the evening the grate needs to be removed to the house. You never know, the rain will go down or the dew will sit down. Excess moisture is a big obstacle in your business.

Some sources recommend boiling figs in boiling sugar syrup for 10 seconds and only then determine for drying. Allegedly for better color retention. I consider this occupation pointless, because all dried figs are the same light brown color.

Unless to prevent putrefactive processes or to prevent fermentation, the procedure will completely help. True, such candied fruit is stored for a very short time.

Tip. Try to make half of the blanks with processing boiling sugar syrup, and the second half without. At the same time, compare the tastes.

What to do to those whom the sun does not favor with hot beams even in the summer? There is an exit. Even two. Choose any suitable one.

For happy owners of a home dryer. Whole or chopped figs (halves) are laid out on the gratings. The temperature is set no higher than + 65 ° C. Because sugar in the pulp is caramelized at a higher temperature and can change the final taste of the finished product.

By the way, an incomprehensible white coating on dried figs - this is the sugar that came out.

Drying time is approximately 6-8 hours. It all depends on the degree of load and the power of your device. Readiness is checked visually. Fruits are reduced in size, acquire a light brown tint. When pressed, it feels that the skin has become dense and elastic.

There are recommendations to flatten figs to a flat shape. This is not necessary at all. Because this is the case with large-scale workpieces. Flattening allows you to save space, such figs are put on a rope and hung for storage.

If you have to dry a small amount, then you can store figs in their normal form without additional manipulations.

Just do not ask where to save a bucket of dried figs at home. Only a third of your bucket will be left (fruits greatly decrease in volume and weight), and you will certainly find where to attach it.

Tip. Cut dried fruit. If there is no visible juice, then you dried it correctly.

And if there is no sun and an electric dryer? What to do with the remaining figs? Of course to dry! Only in the oven. Whole or cut, it does not matter. The main thing is again on the grill. A tray or baking sheet will allow the fruit to bake before the drying process begins. But we don’t need it.

We set the smallest temperature regime. Ideal + 60 ° C. But sometimes the minimum temperature is higher, the oven models are different. In this case, you will often have to turn over the blanks so as not to burn. And in any case, it is imperative that the door is left ajar, so that the evaporating moisture has the opportunity to freely exit. It is difficult to name the drying time, it all depends on the degree of heating of the oven. It turns out about 8 hours on average.

Readiness is also determined as described above. We check with handles for elasticity and rigidity, eyes for color and a knife for juiciness.

Tip. Allow dried fruit to cool completely before storing it. Otherwise, condensation will appear, and with it mold.

How to dry figs at home? Everything is very simple. It is important not to linger, otherwise the fruit will deteriorate. And so you can drag a beautiful delicacy from your own freezer for a long time.

Video: how to choose dried figs