Dried Fruits
Dried fruits are fruits with most of their water removed, which concentrates their sugar and lets them keep for months. Candied fruit is related: its water is slowly replaced with sugar syrup.
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Marchesi di San Giuliano - Organic Sicilian Orange Slices in Syrup - 460 g
Regular price $20.00 USDRegular price -
Varah Gourmet - Masala Cranberries - Savory Indian-Spiced Dried Cranberries - 4 oz.
Regular price $13.00 USDRegular price -
Francois Doucet - Pâte De Fruit Marbles - 140 g
Regular price $15.00 USDRegular price -
Giraudi - Candied Ginger in Dark Chocolate - 100 g
Regular price $18.00 USDRegular price
How to choose Dried Fruits
- Dried or candied. Candied fruit is soaked in syrups that start thin, around 10 to 30° Brix, a measure of dissolved sugar, and rise step by step to 60 to 75° Brix. Starting with thick syrup would make the fruit break apart.
- Texture. Air-dried fruit should be leathery and pliable. Squeeze a handful: the pieces should spring apart and leave no moisture on your hand.
- Glass or pouch. A clear jar lets you see condensation inside, a sign the fruit holds too much moisture and should be eaten right away or dried again.
About Dried Fruits
Dried fruits are whole, halved or sliced fruits dried until little water is left, which shrinks them into a denser piece.
For home drying, many fruits are dipped first in ascorbic acid, citric acid or lemon juice, which slows darkening and helps kill bacteria. Home cooks dip cherries, grapes and plums in boiling water to crack the skins so moisture can escape. Home dryers then condition the fruit: packed loosely in covered containers for 4 to 10 days and shaken daily to even out the moisture.
Keep dried fruit somewhere cool, dark and dry. Serve it on a cheese board, chop it into grain salads, or simmer it with wine into a quick compote.
At a glance
- Made from
- Whole, halved or sliced fruit, sometimes sugar syrup
- Label terms
- Sulfured, unsulfured, candied, in syrup
- Serve with
- Cheese, nuts, grain salads, roasts
- Unopened
- 6 months to 1 year, cool and airtight
Dried Fruits questions
Why are some dried apricots bright orange and others brown?
The bright ones are usually treated with sulfites, such as sodium metabisulfite, which keep pale fruit from darkening as it dries. Unsulfured fruit turns brown as it dries. US rules treat 10 parts per million of sulfite or more as a detectable amount, and a detectable amount has to be listed on the label, so read the ingredients to tell the two apart.
How long does dried fruit keep?
The National Center for Home Food Preservation puts most dried fruit at about 1 year at 60°F and 6 months at 80°F, so a cool cupboard makes a real difference. Pack it in small airtight jars so each opening lets in less air. Fruit that has taken on moisture but shows no mold should be eaten soon, and any moldy fruit should be thrown out.
Sources: Colorado State University Extension; National Center for Home Food Preservation; US Code of Federal Regulations.
