Owner Manual
5
How to Dehydrate Fruit and Fruit Rolls
Dried fruits and fruit rolls are nutritious and portable snacks. Drying fruit intensies the natural sweetness of the fruit because the
moisture is removed.
Selection and Preparation
Select fruits that are at the peak of ripeness. Wash fruits to remove dirt and debris. There are many options when it comes to drying
fruit and personal preference should be your guide. Fruits can be sliced, halved, or left whole (if small); peeled or unpeeled; pretreated
or left untreated. Fruits that are sliced thin and peeled will dry the fastest. Fruits left whole will require the most drying time.
Slice fruit uniformly and in pieces about ¼ inch thick. Fruits that are left whole, such as blueberries, cranberries, and grapes, should
be dipped in boiling water for 30 to 60 seconds and then plunged in ice water to crack the skin. This procedure will reduce the drying
time.
Pretreatment
Many fruits will darken quickly once they are peeled and/or cut and will continue to darken even after the fruit is dried. This is due
to the exposure of the natural enzymes in some fruits to air. There are several pretreatment options to prevent this discoloration.
Pretreatment is not necessary but is recommended to preserve color and texture of the dried fruit. Some people may detect a slight
avor change with pretreated fruit. See the Fruit Drying Guide on page 7 to determine which fruits will benet from pretreatment. You
may want to try the different options and see which you prefer:
Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C)—Ascorbic acid, available in tablet or powdered form, is available at drugstores. Mix 2½ tablespoons
of powdered ascorbic acid in 1 quart cold water. Vitamin C tablets (six 500 mg tablets equal 1 teaspoon ascorbic acid) should be
crushed before mixing with water. Place cut fruit, such as bananas, peaches, apples, or pears, in mixture and soak for 10 minutes.
Remove fruit and drain well before placing on drying trays.
Ascorbic acid mixtures—These commercially available products, such as Mrs. Wages Fresh Fruit Preserver,* are a combination
of ascorbic acid and sugar and are commonly used for fresh fruits and for canning and freezing. Follow manufacturer’s directions
for use of these mixtures.
Lemon juice—Mix equal parts lemon juice and cold water. Place cut fruit in solution and soak for 10 minutes. Remove fruit and
drain well before placing on drying trays.
Place pieces of fruit on dehydrator trays in a single layer, close together but not touching or overlapping. Refer to the Fruit Drying
Guide on page 7 for suggested preparation, pretreatment, and drying times. Dry fruit at 135°F or 57°C.
Determining Dryness
Refer to the Fruit Drying Guide and begin checking the fruit at the beginning of the average drying time range. Remove a few pieces
of fruit from each dehydrator tray and allow to cool to room temperature. Fruits are acceptably dry when they are soft and pliable, but
not sticky. Fruit folded in half should not stick together. Apple and banana slices can be dried until crisp, if desired. If fruits seem to
have a lot of moisture remaining, recheck every 1 to 2 hours. If fruits appear to be almost done, check again in 30 minutes. Always
check fruits from each tray.
Conditioning
After drying, allow fruit to cool for 30 minutes to 1 hour before packaging. Dried fruits may have uneven amounts of moisture
remaining because of differences in the size of various pieces. Although fruit appears to be dry, there may still be moisture remaining
in some of the individual pieces. Conditioning is a procedure that can be used to more evenly distribute moisture, reducing the chance
of mold growth, and allows you to determine if you’ve removed enough moisture before storing. To condition, place the pieces of
fruit loosely in a clean plastic or glass container and seal and let stand for 1 week. This will allow drier pieces of fruit to absorb excess
moisture that may be present in other pieces. Daily shake the jar to separate the pieces and look for condensation. If condensation
develops, remove the fruit and dehydrate for additional time. After conditioning, follow “Packaging and Storing Dried Foods”
information on page 11.
Uses
Dried fruits make great snacks. They can also be added to trail mixes, cereals, mufns, breads, and other baked products. Dried fruit
can be used as is or softened prior to use. To soften dried fruit, submerge in boiling water and soak for 5 minutes or place fruit in a
steaming basket over a pot of boiling water and steam for 5 minutes or until fruit is plumped.
Fruit Rolls (Leather)
Fruit rolls (or leathers) are made by drying a thin layer of puréed fruit on a at surface. Once dried, the fruit layer is pulled from the
surface and rolled. The term leather derives from the leather-like texture of the puréed fruit once it is dried.
*Mrs. Wages is a registered trademark of Kent Precision Foods Group, Inc. Presto is not afliated with this company.