Dried cherries for the winter at home: how to cook in the oven, in an electric dryer, in the sun

Dried cherries, cooked according to all the necessary standards and rules, should look and resemble raisins in their structure. This delicacy can replace expensive dried fruits without any problems. The product can be prepared at home at no extra cost and eaten at any time of the year.

Dried cherries are an ideal replacement for dried fruits

Why are dried cherries useful?

Cherries are one of the healthiest berries in the world. Even when dried and dried, it does not lose its essential vitamins and nutrients. Contains a huge variety of organic acids: salicylic, citric, succinic, malic. Moreover, it has a not very high calorie content - only 49 kcal.

Useful properties of dried cherries:

1. Strengthens the immune system.
2. Fights infections, as it has bactericidal properties.
3. Helps with cardiovascular diseases.
4. Reduces skin inflammation.

How to make dried cherries at home

To make a dried cherry successfully, you need to carefully prepare the ingredients and adhere to certain rules during cooking:

1. Sort the fruit carefully. Whole, ripe and firm berries are suitable for drying. It is better not to use overripe fruits.
2. This product cannot be completely classified as dried fruit. When cooking, the fruits are not just dried, but must first be aged in syrup.
3. It is very important not to allow overdrying or, conversely, getting soft juicy dried fruits that did not have time to give up all their juices.
4. For drying, both special equipment (electric dryer) and a conventional oven are suitable. What's more, you can dry the berries naturally in the sun.

Is it possible to make dried cherries from frozen berries

Frozen cherries are also suitable for drying, only the finished product will not have a characteristic sourness. The structure of the finished dish will also turn out a little different, however, it will have the same usefulness and taste as a delicacy made from fresh fruits.

Cherries dried at home in an electric dryer

At home, hostesses often resort to the method of drying berries in an electric dryer. It is the most common as it takes little hassle. Sun-dried fruits do not lose their useful and flavoring properties. In an electric dryer, the final product is slightly sour, but sweet, like fresh berries. When pressed with your finger, the finished dried cherries should not release juice and stick.

Ingredients required for this drying method:

• 1 kg of not overripe cherries;
• 200 g granulated sugar;
• half a liter of clean drinking water.

It is necessary to remove the seeds from the berries, otherwise the drying process will take a long time

A step-by-step algorithm for preparing a product, which takes more than 7 hours:

1. First you need to start preparing the sugar syrup. It is prepared in the usual way: you need to heat water in a saucepan and add sugar there. Boil the solution over low heat until the mixture begins to thicken and all the granulated sugar grains melt.
2. Pre-prepared fruits (cleaned of debris and dirt, washed and dried) must be added to the prepared hot syrup and left there for 5 minutes in order to blanch the fruits.
3. Then remove all the berries from the syrup and place in a colander or sieve so that all the sugar mixture is glass from the surface.
4. Place the cherries on the wire rack of the electric dryer.
5. Choose a temperature of 60 degrees and leave the fruits to dry for 7-8 hours.

Dried cherries at home in the oven

An electric dryer costs a lot of money, so not all housewives have the opportunity to get dried fruits in it. Then an ordinary oven comes to the rescue.

For this drying method, you need to prepare the following products:

• 1.4 kg of large cherries;
• 500 g sugar;
• 500 ml of drinking water.

It is advisable to remove the berries from the oven every half hour to cool.

Cooking process:

1. Remove seeds from washed and dried cherries.
2. Stir granulated sugar in drinking water and put on medium heat.
3. When the solution boils, slowly add the berries to the pan in handfuls.
4. Keep them in syrup for at least 3 minutes.
5. After that, take out the berries and place in a colander to drain the entire solution.
6. Lay special baking or parchment paper on top of a baking sheet and spread the fruits on it.
7. Preheat the oven to 60 degrees and place a baking sheet in it.
8. Keep in an oven "dryer" for about 3-4 hours, until the berries wrinkle and lose their elasticity.

How to make sugar-dried cherries

Almost all recipes for dried cherries are prepared with sugar, but the berries are still sour. Not everyone likes such a delicacy, so a special recipe can be offered for those with a sweet tooth: dried cherries rolled in sugar.

For cooking you will need:

• 1.8 kg fresh, not overripe cherries;
• 800 g granulated sugar;
• 300 ml of clean drinking water.

Cherries sprinkled with sugar are left for 3 days to extract juice

Step by step cooking process:

1. All seeds must be removed from washed and dried fruits.
2. Boil the syrup: Mix 450 g of sugar with water and bring to a boil. Boil the mixture over low heat until lightly thickened.
3. Add all the berries to the syrup and mix gently. Leave the mixture overnight.
4. The next day, put the container on the stove and cook at low temperature for no more than 10 minutes.
5. Remove the pan from the stove and let the mixture cool naturally.
6. Bring to a boil again and allow to cool, you can repeat the procedure a third time.
7. Transfer the berries to a sieve or colander and leave until all the syrup has flowed out.
8. Mix 150 g of granulated sugar with berries.
9. Line them in one layer on a baking sheet or wire rack in an electric dryer and dry for 5 hours.
10. Roll the cooled sun-dried fruits on all sides in the remaining sugar.

Dried cherries with seeds at home

The ingredients are the same as in the previous recipe:

• 1.8 kg of not too ripe cherries;
• 800 g granulated sugar;
• 300 ml of filtered water.

Dried fruits fully retain their taste and vitamins

Step by step cooking:

1. Wash and dry the cherries, leave the seeds.
2. Boil the syrup from 400 g of sand and water. Add berries and cook for about 3 minutes.
3. Hold them in the solution for about an hour so that the fruits absorb all the sweetness of the syrup.
4. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet and dry for at least 5 hours in the oven, it is recommended to open the door slightly.

Dried cherries at home: a pitted recipe

This cooking method is practically no different from the rest.

For drying take:

• 1.5 cherry fruits;
• 600 g granulated sugar;
• 500 g of pure water.

Sun-dried berries can be stored for more than 1 year

Cooking is also similar to the classic cooking recipe:

1. Remove seeds from all berries.
2. Put the fruits in a handful in the finished sugar syrup. It takes at least 4 minutes to cook.
3. After cooling, you need to let all the juices and syrup drain through a sieve.
4. Drying cherries is allowed in any way.

Sugar Free Dried Cherry Recipe

Dried fruits according to this recipe are obtained "for an amateur". For those with a sweet tooth, it is better to use other recipes. For extra zest, add cinnamon, nutmeg, or other spices as desired. Only one ingredient is needed - cherry, the amount is at the discretion of each.

The fruits retain their acidity and their characteristic aroma

This product can be prepared by different types of drying: in an electric dryer or oven:

1. Place the seedless fruits on a sieve and press gently with your hands to drain the juice. Leave on for 5 hours.
2. Spread the berries over the entire wire rack or baking sheet.
3. Dry for at least 5 hours.

How to make dried cherries in syrup

This method is slightly different from the others, where berries are blanched in sweet syrup. They are in solution for a long time, which is why they themselves give off unnecessary moisture. This method makes them sweeter, without the additional sugar deboning.

You need to prepare the following products in advance:

• 2 kg of ripe cherries;
• 1.2 granulated sugar;
• 250 g of ordinary filtered water.

Fruits can be added to baked goods and various desserts

The dishes are prepared as follows:

1. Thoroughly washed and dried fruits must be covered with granulated sugar, 700 g is enough. Leave for 5 hours so that the cherry can have time to give all its juices.
2. The resulting juice must be drained, and the cherries must be put on a sieve and, if necessary, the remaining juice must be allowed to drain out.
3. Prepare syrup from the remains of sugar and water, add fruits to the container. Boil for no more than 5 minutes.
4. After cooling, leave overnight.
5. In the morning strain the whole mixture in a colander.
6. Put the cherries on a clean baking sheet and place them in an oven preheated to 60 degrees.
7. Dry for about 3-4 hours.

Sun-dried cherry recipe

To prepare the most inexpensive and natural drying method, only one and the main ingredient is needed - this is cherry. The amount depends on personal preference.

At night, so that the berries are not dampened, they are brought into the room

Drying process algorithm:

1. Prepared pitted cherries must be poured into a colander.
2. Press lightly on the berries from above with your hand to allow the juice to drain out of the fleshy berries.
3. On a clean baking sheet, carefully lay out the fruits in one layer, and put a lightweight fine mesh on top.
4. Take it outside and put in direct sunlight for 4 days.
5. Juice will periodically flow out of the berries, so you need to constantly drain it.

The original recipe for dried cherries with orange zest and cinnamon

This dish turns out to be quite piquant and spicy.

For cooking you need:

• 1 kg of large cherries;
• 500 g granulated sugar;
• 500 ml of water;
• zest of half an orange;
• cinnamon.

Ground nutmeg can be used instead of cinnamon

Cooking process:

1. Boil the syrup and add the cinnamon and zest to it. Cook for about 5 minutes.
2. Put all the berries in a saucepan for 5 minutes.
3. Transfer the fruits to a colander.
4. Dry at 60 degrees in the oven.

How to store dried cherries at home

The finished dried product is suitable for long-term storage, so it can be consumed at any time of the year.

To increase the shelf life of dried cherries, you must adhere to the following rules:

1. Select berries carefully before cooking. The finished product should not contain rotten and spoiled fruits.
2. Storage is carried out strictly in glass or plastic containers, no metal containers. Another good option is in bags made of dense natural fabric.
3. The storage room should be dark, well-ventilated and cool: closet, refrigerator, cellar, basement, or glazed balcony.

Where can you add dried cherries

Dried sweet cherries can be used in the preparation of various pastries: decorate with them cakes, pastries, muffins. The product can also serve as a filling for croissants, puff triangles, pies and rolls.

Do I need to wash dried cherries before use

If the berries were processed and washed before cooking, then there is no need to wash them again. It is difficult to rinse sweet dried fruits, especially if they are rolled in sugar or processed with syrup. That is why it is recommended to carefully prepare the berries before drying and store the finished product in a clean container and room.

Conclusion

Sun-dried cherries are the perfect sweetness for boring winter days, replacing unhealthy candies and chocolates. A healthy and long-lasting product can be consumed in its usual form, as well as used for making desserts.

Recommended entries

Dried pears at home

How to dry blueberries

Dried peaches at home

Candied melon at home

Dried melon

Dried pumpkin in an electric dryer

Pumpkin chips in the oven, in the dryer, in the microwave

Dry chanterelle recipes: how to cook mushrooms, dishes

How to dry an umbrella mushroom: rules and shelf life