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Fruits for the winter are harvested in the form of preserves, jams or compotes. But there is a more useful and simpler way. Sun-dried pears are good to cook this way. The product will retain maximum benefits and will not deliver extra calories in the form of sugar.
The benefits and harms of dried pears
All vitamins and microelements contained in pears are preserved by the drying method. The product is easy to prepare. In winter, it will become a real vitamin bomb. In small quantities (no more than 50 g per day) it is also suitable for dietary nutrition.
Useful substances that are contained in dried fruits:
- glucose;
- fructose;
- alimentary fiber;
- tannins;
- magnesium;
- calcium;
- zinc.
In addition to useful microelements, the pear contains vitamins: A, B1, B2, B5, PP. Due to such a rich composition, dried fruits can be used as a tonic, expectorant, antipyretic and fixative. Another useful property of this product is to improve digestion by increasing the acidity of gastric juice.
Also, the product improves the functioning of the heart muscle by strengthening blood vessels and increasing capillary permeability.
In winter, eating dried fruits increases immunity, improves mood, relieves depression. By introducing this fruit into the diet, you can increase the efficiency and endurance of the whole body. For athletes, an accelerated growth of muscle mass will be a pleasant bonus. It is difficult to overestimate the benefits of dried pears for the body in winter.
Dried fruits do not possess properties harmful to humans. The only contraindication may be allergies or individual intolerance to the product. Also, do not abuse pear drying, since its calorie content is quite large. By consuming more than 200 g of dried product per day, you can provoke weight gain and obesity.
Which pears are suitable for drying
For drying for the winter, choose fruits with dense pulp and thin skin. These varieties include: "Fragrant", "Bronze", "Bergamot", "Extravaganza", "Forest beauty". It is important that the fruits are not overripe and not stored for more than 2 days. Too hard or soft, juicy varieties of dried pears will not work.
It is important to carefully examine the fruits in the process of preparing for drying. They should not have broken and crumpled places, wormholes and other defeats.
Fruit preparation
Before drying, pears are thoroughly washed under a tap or in a saucepan, changing the water several times. Then the fruits are left to dry. When the moisture has completely evaporated, the fruit is cut into 4-6 pieces, the seeds and core are removed.
The resulting pear slices are poured into a saucepan, sprinkled with sugar and left to sugar for 2-3 days. After drying in the sun in a well-ventilated place for several days. Twice a day, pear slices are turned over on the other side.
Such dried fruits look spectacular on the festive table and retain maximum benefits.
How to dry pears at home
Sun-dried fruits can be made with the addition of wine or sugar, or can be dried in their natural form. Pear slices are dried in the open air - in summer, in an oven or electric dryer - in autumn.
How to make dried pears in the oven
With a gentle heat treatment, such as drying, the juice from the fruit evaporates slowly, leaving only the pulp. Such conditions can be created in an ordinary home gas or electric oven.
After the fruits have been thoroughly washed, dried, the core was removed from them and the pulp was cut into thin slices, you can start drying.
Pear drying process:
- Preheat the oven to 60 ᵒС.
- Put pear slices in a thin layer on a baking sheet and put them in the oven.
- It is necessary to constantly monitor the temperature and condition of the fruit. As soon as the slices begin to decrease in size, the temperature is lowered to 55 ᵒС and simmered for another 3-4 hours.
If the dried wedges are too soft, they must be re-placed in the oven for 40 minutes. In this case, the oven is only heated to 40 ° C. Thus, a dietary natural product is obtained.
If excess weight is not a problem, pears can be dried in sugar syrup. To do this, sugar and water are mixed in a 1: 1 ratio and brought to a boil. As soon as bubbles appear, the liquid is removed from the heat. Prepared pear slices are dipped in syrup and left for 10 minutes. After that, the pear slices are thrown into a colander and allowed to drain. Then the pears are dried in the oven as described above.
Dried pears recipe in an electric dryer
For this recipe, pears are taken unripe, with dense pulp. They can be soaked in sugar syrup or dried without sugar.
To cook dried pears in sugar, take 2 kg of fruit and 700 g of sugar. The fruits are washed, peeled, cut into thin slices and sprinkled with sugar in layers. At room temperature, the fruits are allowed to sugar for 2-3 days.
Drying process:
- The candied slices are thrown into a colander and the resulting juice is allowed to drain.
- At this time, a syrup is prepared by mixing water and sugar in a 1: 1 ratio and boiling it.
- The dried slices are dipped in a sweet hot liquid for 5-10 minutes.
- After the candied slices are discarded in a colander and allowed to drain for 1 hour.
- Then the pears are transferred to an electric dryer on a pallet and dried for about 14 hours at a temperature of 60 ᵒС.
These figures may vary depending on the model of the machine. First, you need to familiarize yourself with the instructions for cooking dried pears in each specific model of an electric fruit dryer.
The recipe for dried pears for the winter in mulled wine
Pears soaked in wine are easy to dry, but for a long time. To begin with, prepare a fragrant drink, and then proceed directly to the pears. The finished product tastes more like confectionery, and you can eat it as a dessert.
To prepare a fragrant alcoholic syrup, add the following ingredients to 1 glass of red wine:
- half a glass of sugar;
- half a lemon;
- 8 allspice peas;
- a slice of ginger, cut into thin slices;
- a handful of raisins;
- star anise star;
- 3-4 pcs. carnations;
- water - 50 ml.
The mixture is put on fire and brought to a boil.
Then fragrant dried pears are prepared like this:
- Prepared, slightly unripe fruits are cut into slices, no thinner than 0.5 cm.
- Slices are dipped in a boiled aromatic syrup and left for a day.
- After that, the pear slices are taken out and left for an hour to allow excess liquid to glass.
- Place the plucked fruits on a baking sheet and spread in 1 layer.
- Preheat the oven to 80 ᵒC and place a baking sheet with slices there.
- The fruit is simmered for at least 10 hours at the specified temperature.
- After the pear cut is distributed on parchment paper and left to dry for 3 days at room temperature.
Dried pears at home are stored in a jar at room temperature only if the slices are well dried. If the sweet slices contain a little moisture, it is best to refrigerate them.
Calorie content of dried pears
Dried pear wedges contain 60 g of carbohydrates. This is a fairly high figure and a quarter of the daily intake of carbohydrates. The calorie content of such a product is 246 kcal, which, with a dietary diet, makes up almost a quarter of the daily diet. Therefore, people who are losing weight are allowed to consume dried pears no more than 2-3 slices per day.
Terms and conditions of storage of dried pears
It is good to store dried pears in the refrigerator. So their shelf life can be extended up to 1.5 years. At room temperature, the product is stored in a sealed jar or paper bag for no more than six months.
The humidity in the room should not exceed 50%. Dryers are stored only in a dark place, away from direct sunlight. The product is kept out of the refrigerator only if it is well dried.
Store-bought dried pear slices are best eaten within a few days, as they contain a lot of moisture and are perishable. It is better to purchase store-bought dried pears in sealed packaging, and not by weight.
Conclusion
Dried pears are considered a healthy and aromatic dessert for the winter. Their preparation is easy to handle. The ingredients and proportions for the syrups can be varied to suit your taste. If you can't wither the fruit with an oven or electric dryer, you can do it in the sun. To do this, put pears cut into thin slices on a baking sheet and leave in the sun for several days, turning them regularly. The finished product will retain all the beneficial properties and will be prepared without the use of sugar.
