How to Crisp Dried Fruit
- 1). Set up the base of the dehydrator on the kitchen counter. Make sure there is room all around the machine. This allows adequate airflow, necessary for proper crisping.
- 2). Cut up larger pieces of dry fruit for better crisping. Put each type of fruit on a separate dehydrator tray. Make sure the pieces are not touching. Stack the trays into the dehydrator and put the lid on top.
- 3). Set the dehydrator for no higher than 140 degrees. Turn on the timer for one hour, after which check the fruit. Properly crisped fruit will have a distinctive crunch sound if you crush it or cut it. Cycle around the drying trays, moving them from top to bottom if any of the fruit is not ready yet. Leave them to crisp further for 30 minutes, checking again when done. Repeat as necessary.
- 4). Put each fruit into a food storage bag, preferably a vacuum sealed one. Close the bag and label it with the date and fruit. If desired, make a few bags of mixed crisped fruit for granola and other similar recipes. In this form, the fruit has a shelf life of about 1 year.
