Content
- 1 Does frozen persimmon lose its properties
- 2 Why freeze persimmons
- 3 How long can persimmons be stored in the freezer
- 4 How to choose a persimmon for freezing
- 5 How to freeze persimmons for long-term storage
- 6 How to freeze persimmons so they don't knit
- 7 How to defrost persimmons
- 8 What can you do with frozen persimmons
- 9 Conclusion
Persimmon is an extremely healthy fruit, a valuable source of vitamins, macro- and microelements necessary for the normal functioning of the body. However, unfortunately, it is characterized by a pronounced "seasonality". Fresh fruits appear on store shelves literally for 2-3 months, then again you have to wait another year. The problem of such a "deficit" is solved if the persimmon is frozen in time for the winter. At the same time, its "presentability" will suffer, but the benefits will persist for a long time.
Does frozen persimmon lose its properties
If the fruits are frozen, it will not affect the vitamins, macro- and microelements they contain. The benefits of this fruit after exposure to low temperatures are retained in full. The presence in a high concentration of vitamins A, C, group B, PP, phytosterols is characteristic, as well as:
- potassium;
- calcium;
- magnesium;
- iodine;
- gland;
- manganese;
- copper;
- chromium;
- molybdenum;
- cobalt
If the fruit is frozen, it retains not only taste, but also benefits.
With such a rich composition, the complex beneficial effects of the fruit on the body are as follows:
- increase in general tone, physical and mental endurance, stress resistance, at the same time, causeless irritability, anxiety disappear;
- strengthening of immunity, recovery at a rapid pace after a viral or infectious disease, surgery;
- strengthening of the walls of blood vessels, restoration and maintenance of their elasticity, cleansing of cholesterol "plaques" (extremely useful for varicose veins and atherosclerosis), normalization of blood pressure;
- activating the body's defense against the negative effects of environmental factors, neutralizing free radicals, preserving youth for a long time, improving the condition of the skin, hair and nails;
- acceleration of tissue regeneration processes at the cellular level;
- combating iron deficiency in the blood, stimulating the synthesis of red blood cells, for women, the fruit helps maintain the level of hemoglobin during menstruation;
- normalization of the gastrointestinal tract, elimination of toxins and toxins;
- prevention of the development of oncological diseases, according to some reports, the fruit can neutralize not only carcinogenic, but also radioactive, toxic substances, salts of heavy metals;
Why freeze persimmons
Persimmons are frozen for two main reasons:
- To be able to eat this seasonal fruit at any time of the year. Some are simply not ready to accept the fact that persimmons appear on store shelves only for a few months of the year. The fruit that has been in the freezer can be eaten just like that or replaced with fresh persimmon in any recipe that requires it.
- To improve her taste. Whether the fruit will be unpleasant to "knit" in the mouth, it is impossible to determine by the appearance of the fruit (of course, if they are not entirely green).In such specimens, not only taste suffers, their consumption may well provoke an upset stomach and / or intestines. The tannin contained is "responsible" for the viscosity, which is destroyed under the influence of negative temperatures.
How long can persimmons be stored in the freezer
If you keep frozen fruits in the freezer at a constant temperature of 18 ° C, its taste, nutritional and energy value, and beneficial properties will be preserved for a year. It should be remembered that once frozen, the fruit cannot be thawed and frozen again. After such manipulations, persimmon turns into an unappetizing slimy brown gruel.
Frozen fruit should be as tight as possible, excluding the ingress of air. To do this, persimmon is wrapped in several layers of cling film or laid out in special reusable freezer bags with a zipper.
If there is no tightness, you will have to take a separate shelf of the persimmon in the freezer. In order to avoid the transfer of pathogenic microflora, the fruit should be kept away from meat, poultry, fish, mushrooms.
How to choose a persimmon for freezing
To maximize the shelf life of frozen persimmons, you need to choose fresh fruits that are suitable for this:
- Ripe, but not overripe. The first can be determined by the hue of the skin (it varies markedly depending on the variety), its brightness and saturation. To understand that the fruit is overripe, it is enough to lightly press on it with your finger. Fruit that is not suitable for freezing will dent.
- The absence of even minimal damage to the skin, violating its integrity. The casing should be smooth and glossy. Specimens with cracks, dents, dark spots on the skin, suspiciously similar to developing mold, rot, and other pathogenic microflora, are not suitable for freezing.
- Mandatory presence of leaves and stalks. They should be dry and have a uniform greenish-brown color.
The quality of the "raw material" directly depends on whether the frozen persimmon will last for a long time and what its taste and appearance will be after defrosting
The best choice for freezing is a medium-sized persimmon. Fruits that are too large, if placed whole in the chamber, take up too much space. Small persimmons most often do not differ in pronounced taste and smell.
How to freeze persimmons for long-term storage
You can freeze persimmons for a long time in several ways. When choosing, they are guided by how much free space there is in the freezer. It is also important how the fruit is subsequently planned to be used.
Wholly
The easiest way is to freeze whole persimmons. The algorithm of actions is as follows:
- Wash the persimmon in cool running water. You cannot make its pressure too strong, you can damage the thin skin and delicate pulp. It is especially necessary to rinse thoroughly in the area of the stalk. It is not recommended to remove it in order to preserve the integrity of the fruit.
- Spread the fruits on paper or plain towels, napkins. Allow to dry completely. Even individual drops or a thin "water film" on the surface of the skin in the freezer turn into ice crystals, "tearing" it and the pulp.
- Put each persimmon in a regular plastic or special plastic bag for freezing, or wrap it in 2-3 layers of cling film.
- Keep in the freezer for at least 12 hours.
Storing whole frozen persimmons requires a lot of space
In pieces
If the persimmon is frozen in this way, it will subsequently be ideal for those who plan to use it as a filling for baking, an ingredient in salads and desserts. The preparation in this case is similar to that described above. Then they act like this:
- Remove the stalk. Using a sharp knife with a thin blade, cut the persimmon into pieces of the desired size and shape, removing the seeds in the process. Most often, the fruit is divided into four, six or eight parts.
- Arrange the pieces on disposable plastic trays, containers, lining the bottom with cellophane, foil or baking paper. Wrap them with cling film, taking care not to damage the contents. You can also use plastic food containers. In this case, the film is not required, the tightness will be provided by the container lid. Pieces cannot be stored in open containers and pallets; they quickly absorb any foreign odors.
- Freeze the persimmon by removing the fruit containers in the freezer for at least 12 hours.
Do not make the persimmon pieces too small, otherwise they will turn into porridge when defrosted.
Puree
If you freeze persimmon puree, it can then be added to cereals, smoothies, curd mass, and other desserts of a similar consistency. Prepare it like this:
- The stalk is removed from washed and dry fruits. Then they are cut in half, the bones are removed, the skin is removed, or the pulp is scooped out with a spoon.
- Grind the pulp in a blender until smooth. It can also be minced or even grated.
- Divide the puree into small disposable containers, tight plastic bags. Cover with cling film on top. Put in the freezer for 8-10 hours.
If you freeze mashed potatoes, persimmons will not take up much space in the freezer.
How to freeze persimmons so they don't knit
In order for the persimmon to lose its unpleasant viscosity, it must be frozen entirely according to the same algorithm as described above. The minimum period of "exposure" is 2-3 hours. But it's better to wait 10-12 hours. Then not only will the unpleasant astringency disappear, the frozen persimmon will also become noticeably sweeter.
"Metamorphosis" is easily explained by the fact that tannin, which provokes the astringent taste in the mouth, is destroyed at sub-zero temperatures. Thus, the taste of even unripe persimmons can be significantly improved.
How to defrost persimmons
It is important to defrost frozen persimmons correctly. There are several ways to do this too. And you will have to choose which is more important - speed or aesthetics.
Fast
Persimmon will quickly defrost if, without unpacking or even removing cling film, put it in a container filled with hot (40-45 ° C) water. It should cover the whole fruit. As it cools, the water is changed.
Whole frozen persimmons can be eaten in 1.5-2 hours. Pieces and small portions of fruit puree take even less time.
Whole fruits with a quick defrosting method lose their shape, the pulp turns into gruel
In the microwave
After removing the cling film from the container, the frozen fruit is placed on the bottom of a special deep dish for the microwave oven, pouring water onto the bottom with a layer of 1.5-2 cm thick. Then the "Defrosting" mode (if available) is turned on, focusing on the approximate weight of persimmons. If the device does not have such a function, it is simply set to the minimum power.
In vivo
It will take about 4-5 hours to defrost a whole persimmon naturally.The cling film is removed from the fruits extracted from the freezer, they are taken out of the bag, container, other container and transferred to the refrigerator for 2-3 hours. The defrosting process is brought to its "logical conclusion" at room temperature.
After "natural" defrosting, the fruit retains its shape and benefits, the consistency of the pulp practically does not change
What can you do with frozen persimmons
Frozen persimmons, like fresh ones, are widely used in cooking:
- mousses, jellies, puddings are prepared from it;
- mashed potatoes are added to ice cream, smoothies and other fruit cocktails, homemade yoghurts, curd mass, creams, desserts with cream cheese;
- turns the fruit into a filling for sweet baked goods or a layer for cakes;
- prepare salads (persimmon goes very well with any green salad, cheeses, nuts).
A good addition to persimmon desserts - mint, nuts and dark chocolate
The scope of application of frozen persimmons is not limited only to cooking. Homemade face masks are prepared from it. The pulp is mixed in approximately equal proportion with:
- egg yolk;
- honey;
- any base oil used in cosmetology;
- homemade dairy products (cottage cheese, cream, sour cream, yogurt).
The course of such masks, which is 10-12 "sessions" with an interval of 3-4 days, provides the skin with intensive nourishment, evens out its tone, restores a healthy fresh complexion. A pronounced lifting effect is also noticeable.
Persimmon is one of the most effective remedies for skin rejuvenation in the arsenal of home cosmetology.
Conclusion
If you freeze persimmons for the winter, observing simple rules, you can provide yourself with a supply of delicious and extremely healthy fruits for the next year, just before the next "season". The substances contained in them, necessary for the body, are tolerated by lowering the temperature without prejudice to their properties. But tannin, "responsible" for the unpleasant viscosity, is destroyed, therefore, after defrosting, the taste of persimmons significantly improves. You can eat it right away or use it to prepare various desserts and other dishes.
