Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 2: Dry apricots in the oven
• Method 2 of 2: Dry apricots in a drying device
• Tips
• Necessities

An apricot is a small, soft drupe that is particularly suitable for drying due to its sweet pulp. You can dry apricots yourself at home in the oven or a drying device. Dried apricots are tasty snacks and can be added to dishes very well.

To step

Method 1 of 2: Dry apricots in the oven

1. Buy or pick apricots when they are fully ripe. Fruits that are not ripe enough can turn sour when dried. Apricots are not grown in our country. The apricots that you can buy in the Netherlands come from Greece, France and Spain from mid-May to mid-August and from South Africa from the end of November to December. There are always ripe fruits for sale, so get those instead of buying apricots that you eat raw.
2. Look out for offers at the supermarket. Apricots are ripe in late summer or sometime between July and September, depending on the year. However, apricots are available in our country all year round.
3. Ripe firm apricots by placing them in a paper bag that you place on the windowsill. If you're concerned that the apricots will get too ripe before you have time to dry them, you can keep them in the refrigerator for up to a week.
4. Clean the apricots thoroughly. Soak them in water for a few minutes to loosen the dirt, then rinse them under the tap. Discard any unsightly apricots.
5. Pit the apricots. Cut them in half along the groove to be able to remove the pit.
6. Turn the apricots inside out. On the outside, push the middle part upwards, so that more pulp is exposed to the air. You dry the apricots with the pulp upwards.
7. Take a baking tray and line it with parchment paper. If you have a large iron rack, put it on the baking tray to shorten the drying time.
8. Place the apricots half on the grid or on the baking paper. Make sure you keep about the same amount of space between the halves.
9. Preheat the oven to the lowest setting. Apricots dry best at a temperature below 90 degrees Celsius. 80 degrees Celsius is a good temperature for drying apricots.
10. Make sure there is enough space between the grids in the oven. Place the baking trays with the grids in the oven.
11. Let the apricots dry for about 10 to 12 hours. Turn them over half the time to make sure they dry evenly. The fruits should be slightly soft but leathery when ready.
    • Cooking time depends on the size of the apricots and the temperature at which you dry them. If you set the oven to a temperature of 90 degrees, the apricots will dry faster than if you choose 80 degrees.

Method 2 of 2: Dry apricots in a drying device

1. Choose ripe apricots. Clean them with fresh water, just like you did with the oven drying method.
2. Pit the apricots. Cut them in half along the groove with a paring knife. Take out the wick and throw it away.
3. Take the halves apart and turn them inside out. Do not peel the fruits. Push the middle part up on the outside until the pulp is pushed apart.
4. Remove the grids from the dryer. Place the apricots half on the grids with the pulp facing up. Make sure to leave space between the pieces of fruit so that air can flow around them better.
5. Put the grids back into the dryer. Set the dryer to a temperature of 60 degrees Celsius. Read the user manual to find out if this is the low, medium or high setting of the dryer.
6. Wait about 12 hours or until the clock goes off. Larger pieces of apricot take longer to dry.
7. Keep the dried apricots in closed preserving jars. Place the jars in a cool, dark place like a pantry. The apricots will keep for several months.

Tips

• Sweeten the dried apricots by making a mixture of 250ml water and 4 tablespoons (60ml) lemon juice and adding honey to taste. Let the apricots soak in the mixture for a few minutes before placing them on the grid.
• Separate larger and smaller apricots and dry them separately. If you dry a batch of apricots of different sizes, some apricots will become too dry and others will retain too much moisture and rot.
• You can rehydrate dried apricots by covering them with fruit juice for 2 to 4 hours. You can then use them for dishes that require fresh fruit.

Necessities

• Oven
• Baking tray
• Baking paper
• Dryer
• Paring knife
• Iron grate
• Kitchen timer
• Honey
• Lemon juice
• Fruit juice
• Water