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DEHYDRATED APRICOTS

Choose firm, ripe apricots for dehydrating – they can be dried as halves, slices or diced pieces. After taking the time to dry, they become deliciously chewy with a rich apricot flavour, making them perfect for snacks, bliss balls or adding to meat recipes. Yum! 
 
Ingredients for DEHYDRATED APRICOTS
 
Yield: around 125g
Apricots (any variety)
900g
Lemon Juice
1 cup
Water
4 cups

METHOD:
1. Before you begin: disconnect the dehydrator from the power point. Clean dehydrator racks, base and fruit roll trays in warm, mild soapy water. Rinse and dry each part thoroughly. Wipe lid and frames with a damp, soft sponge with a mild detergent. Do not use steel wool, scouring pads or abrasive cleaners. Do not place any parts in a dishwasher. Always follow the dehydrator manual instructions. Ensure the dehydrator is unplugged before reassembling. Ensure hands, utensils and food preparation areas are clean before preparing food.
2. Wash apricots.
3. Peel (optional).
4. Halve and remove pits.
5. Slice apricots 5mm thick (a mandolin is helpful to create even slices or cut them all thicker if desired) – try to keep all slices the same thickness so they dehydrate at the same rate.
Apricots can also be left as halves or diced if you prefer.
6. Combine lemon juice and water in a bowl. Soak sliced apricots in lemon water for 3-4 minutes to reduce oxidation. Drain and pat dry.
7. Place sliced apricots onto dehydrator trays, skin side down where applicable, leaving a little space around each piece to allow air circulation. If drying apricots in halves, press in the middle of each piece to flatten a little (like making thumbprint cookies).
8. Place dehydrator trays onto the base (or into the dehydrator frame), alternating the directions with each tier for round models and ensuring all racks/shelves are securely positioned.
9. Place the lid on the top drying rack (or close the door for square-shaped units).
10. Plug the power cord into a power outlet and set the dehydrator temperature to 55°C  (130°F) and timer to 14-20 hours (depending on the fruit thickness and dehydrator model, this time may vary).
11. Rotate racks on round dehydrators every 3-4 hours to ensure all racks dry evenly.
12. Cool dehydrated apricots before placing into storage containers or bags.
13. Test apricots have dried properly by cutting a piece open. There should be no moisture visible inside. Apricots will be pliable, crack or flake, depending on the thickness and time dehydrated.
14. Store dehydrated apricots in an airtight jar, container or vacuum sealer bag in the pantry, refrigerator or freezer, at a temperature of 5-20°C (40-70°F). Check for moisture forming on the container during the first week after drying – if moisture appears, food has not been dried enough and needs to be dehydrated further (or frozen). Dried food can also be covered in plastic wrap (or vacuum sealed) and stored in a freezer safe container.
15. Enjoy dehydrated apricots dry or rehydrate by soaking in water (or adding to dishes during cooking).

FLAVOUR IDEAS:
Add extra flavour to prepared apricots (on dehydrator trays ready to dry) by sprinkling one or more of the following (or adding liquid and mixing lightly) before dehydrating;

o   Black pepper

o   Cardamom

o   Cinnamon

o   Ginger

o   Lemon

o   Orange

o   Vanilla

 
Author: Megan Radaich          
Image Credit: Megan Radaich          
Acknowledgement 
Kaya Wanjoo. Food Preserving kaditj kalyakoorl moondang-ak kaaradj midi boodjar-ak nyininy, yakka wer waabiny, Noongar moort. Ngala kaditj baalap kalyakoorl nidja boodjar wer kep kaaradjiny, baalap moorditj nidja yaakiny-ak wer moorditj moort wer kaditj Birdiya wer yeyi.
Hello and Welcome. Food Preserving acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we live, work and play, the Nyoongar people. We recognise their connection to the land and local waterways, their resilience and commitment to community and pay our respect to Elders past and present.
 
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