What are dried strawberries?
dried strawberries are strawberries that had the most or all of the water removed by evaporation. Strawberries that still maintain a little moisture may look drained but have a soft consistency. Completely dried strawberries will be hard, fragile strawberry chips. The first type of dried berry usually results from their overall drying, while the second type is the result of dried sliced fruit. Home chefs can produce either species dried berries with dehydratator, oven or sun drying.
The drying process of strawberries not only retains them for several months, but also helps the berries maintain their nutritional value. Strawberries contain high concentrations of vitamin C, folates and potassium, all of which are sealed when they are dried. Dehydration also concentrates sugars in strawberries, so it tastes sweeter than fresh berries. Soft and sharp dried strawberries are popular accessories of ice cream, cereals, perfues and grids.
Although manufacturers produce dried strawberries for sale in grocery stores,Some versions may contain high fructose corn syrup, a component that some people consider unpleasant. Commercially made dried strawberries sometimes also contain chemical preservatives and organic versions can be very expensive. Those who want to try dried strawberries may want to make several batches at home. This process is usually cheaper than their purchase and does not require any artificial sweeteners or preservatives.
The formation of dried strawberries at home begins to wash under cold, running water and slicing leaf closures. The chefs should also cut off any white meat around the caps, because this meat rarely has a lot of taste and sometimes it can be unpleasantly cake. After discarding the caps, cut the strawberries into a bowl containing either lemon juice or water mixed with ascorbic acid. This acid can be obtained in cooking stores, even if one can replace the crushed vitamin C tablet.This sour bath generally prevents strawberries to brown and retains the taste during drying.
Many domestic chefs believe that the use of an electric dehydrator is the simplest drying method. For most dehydrators, it is necessary to simply place the slices of strawberries on the slot trays equipped with a machine, move them back to the place and on the machine. Most models require full berry slices for about 12 hours. Some versions allow the owner to change the temperature, but most heat up to about 118 ° F (48 ° C), which is usually the ideal temperature for drying fruit.
The second method for the production of dried strawberries requires only the oven. For this method, the home cook generally sets strawberry slices on the parchment leaves of cookies and slips into an oven that is not higher than "warm". The chef must then open the oven door so that the air can flow around the slice of the berry. Although this drying method lasts only about six hours, it is usually not energy efficient and can lead to burnt strawberries without supervision.
the third method of fromAhrins the drying of the sun. Although it is usually the most effective method of drying, it also requires the longest and requires very specific weather conditions. The outdoor temperature must not be less than about 80 to 85 ° F (about 27 to 30 ° C) and the days must be sunny and dry. Using this method, the chefs usually spread the slices over a clean screen of windows resistant above the reflective flicker of aluminum. The flicker reflects the heat on the strawberries, while the spaces between the screen and the flicker allow air flow. This method can last up to 24 hours, depending on the weather conditions.