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Fruits for the winter are harvested in the form of jams, jams or compotes. But there is a more useful and easier way. Sun-dried pears are good to cook just like that. The product will retain maximum benefits and will not deliver extra calories in the form of sugar.
The benefits and harms of dried pears
The drying method preserves all the vitamins and microelements contained in pears. 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 trace elements, 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.
The product also improves the functioning of the heart muscle by strengthening blood vessels and increasing capillary permeability.
In winter, eating dried fruits improves immunity, improves mood, and relieves depression. Introducing this fruit into the diet, you can increase the efficiency and endurance of the whole organism. For athletes, the accelerated growth of muscle mass will be a pleasant bonus. The benefits of dried pears for the body in the winter can hardly be overestimated.
Dried fruits do not possess harmful properties for humans. The only contraindication may be an allergy or individual intolerance to the product. Also, do not abuse pear drying, as its calorie content is quite high. Eating more than 200 g of dried product per day can cause weight gain and obesity.
Which pears are suitable for drying
For drying for the winter, fruits with dense pulp and thin skin are chosen. These varieties include: “Fragrant”, “Bronze”, “Bergamot”, “Fairy”, “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 pears for drying are not suitable.
It is important in the process of preparing for drying to carefully examine the fruits. They should not have broken and crumpled places, wormholes and other lesions.
Fruit preparation
Before drying, the pears are thoroughly washed under the tap or in a saucepan, changing the water several times. The fruit is then left to dry. When the moisture has completely evaporated, the fruit is cut into 4-6 parts, the seeds and core are removed.
The resulting pear slices are put in 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 to the other side.
Such dried fruits look spectacular on the festive table and retain maximum benefits.
How to dry pears at home
Dried fruits can be made with the addition of wine or sugar, or dried in their natural form. Dried pear slices in the open air – in the summer, in the oven or electric dryer – in the fall.
How to make dried pears in the oven
With gentle heat treatment, such as drying, the juice from the fruit slowly evaporates, leaving only the pulp. You can create such conditions in a conventional home gas or electric oven.
After the fruits are thoroughly washed, dried, the core is removed from them and the flesh is cut into thin slices, you can start drying.
Drying process of pears:
- Preheat the oven to 60 ᵒС.
- Lay the pear slices on a baking sheet in a thin layer 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 reduced to 55 ᵒС and they are simmered for another 3-4 hours.
If the dried slices are too soft, they must be re-sent to the oven for 40 minutes. In this case, the oven is heated only up to 40 ᵒС. Thus, a dietary natural product is obtained.
If excess weight is not a problem, you can dry the pears 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, remove the liquid from the heat. Prepared pear slices are dipped in syrup and left for 10 minutes. After pear cutting is thrown into a colander and allowed to drain. Then the pears are dried in the oven, as described above.
Recipe for dried pears in an electric dryer
For this recipe, pears are taken unripe, with dense pulp. They can be aged in sugar syrup, or dried without the use of sugar.
To prepare dried pears in sugar, take 2 kg of fruit and 700 g of sugar. 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:
- Candied slices are thrown into a colander and allowed to drain the resulting juice.
- At this time, a syrup is prepared by mixing water and sugar in a 1: 1 ratio and boiling it.
- Dried slices are dipped in a sweet hot liquid for 5-10 minutes.
- After the candied slices are thrown into 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 device. First, you need to read the instructions for preparing dried pears in each specific model of an electric fruit dryer.
Recipe for dried pears for the winter in mulled wine
It is easy to dry pears soaked in wine, but for a long time. To begin with, they 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 cup sugar;
- half a lemon;
- 8 peas of sweet pepper;
- a slice of ginger, cut into thin slices;
- a handful of raisins;
- star anise;
- 3-4 pcs. cloves;
- water – 50 ml.
The mixture is put on fire and brought to a boil.
Then fragrant dried pears are prepared as follows:
- Prepared, slightly unripe fruits are cut into slices, not thinner than 0,5 cm.
- Slices are dipped in boiled fragrant syrup and left for a day.
- After the pear slices are taken out and left for an hour to drain excess liquid.
- Puffed fruits are placed on a baking sheet and distributed in 1 layer.
- The oven is heated to 80 ᵒС and a baking sheet with slices is placed there.
- The fruit is simmered for at least 10 hours at the specified temperature.
- After the pear slices are 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 sweet slices contain some moisture, it is better to put them in the refrigerator.
Dried pears calories
Dried pear slices contain 60 g of carbohydrates. This is a fairly high figure and a quarter of the daily carbohydrate intake. The calorie content of such a product is 246 kcal, which, with dietary nutrition, is almost a quarter of the daily diet. Therefore, people who are losing weight are allowed to use dried pears no more than 2-3 slices per day.
Terms and conditions of storage of dried pears
It is good to save sun-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 hermetically sealed jar or paper bag for no more than six months.
Humidity in the room should not exceed 50%. Drying is stored only in a dark place, away from direct sunlight. The product is kept without refrigeration only if it is well dried.
Purchased dried pear slices are best eaten within a few days, as they contain a large amount of moisture and are a perishable product. It is better to buy store-bought dried pears in sealed packaging, and not by weight.
Conclusion
Dried pears are considered a healthy and fragrant dessert for the winter. They are easy to prepare. Ingredients and proportions for syrups can be varied according to your own taste. If it is not possible to wither fruits using an oven or an electric dryer, you can do it in the sun. To do this, thinly sliced pears are laid out on a baking sheet and left under the sun for several days, regularly turning them over. The finished product will retain all the beneficial properties and will be prepared without the use of sugar.
