The Beginner's Guide to Preserving Food at Home - Janet Chadwick [37]
Pack in a rigid container and cover with syrup, allowing ½-inch headspace for pints and 1 inch for quarts.
Seal and freeze.
Freezing Apricot Halves with Sugar
Dip apricots in boiling water for 1 minute, then in ice water for 1 minute. Peel, cut in half, and remove pits.
Sprinkle ¼ teaspoon ascorbic acid dissolved in ¼ cup water over each quart of apricots. Mix ½ cup of sugar with each quart of apricots, toss to coat well. Allow to stand until juice is drawn out and sugar is dissolved.
Pack in a rigid container, allowing ½-inch headspace for pints and quarts.
Seal and freeze.
Making Apricot Fruit Leather
Dip ripe apricots in boiling water for 1 minute, then in ice water. Slip off skins and cut in half. Remove pits and process fruit in a blender until puréed.
Line a drying tray with plastic wrap (or use the fruit leather sheet that came with your dehydrator). Spread the purée ½ inch thick on the trays.
Dry in a dehydrator at 120°F for 6 to 8 hours, or until leather can be pulled easily from the plastic. Invert, pull off plastic, and continue drying for another 4 to 6 hours. Dry in a conventional oven at 120°F for 6 to 8 hours or until leather can be pulled easily from the plastic. Invert, pull off plastic, and continue drying for another 6 to 8 hours. Dry in the sun for 1 day, or until leather can be pulled easily from the plastic. Invert, pull off plastic, and dry for 1 more day.
To store, roll in waxed paper or plastic wrap, close and twist ends, and store in the refrigerator for up to 6 weeks.
Raw-Pack Canning Apricot Halves
Excellent finished product
Figure that 16 pounds of fruit will yield 7 quarts. Select firm apricots that are ready for eating.
Dip in boiling water for 1 minute, then in ice water. Slip off skins, cut in half, and remove pits. Place in ascorbic acid solution (see page 43). Prepare very light, light, or medium syrup (page 98), if using.
Begin preheating water in the canner and teakettle. Prepare jars and lids for hot-pack. Heat syrup or juice.
Drain fruit and pack into hot jars, leaving ½-inch headspace. Pack fruit cut-side down. Fill with hot liquid, leaving ½-inch headspace.
Process pints for 25 minutes, quarts for 30 minutes.
BLUEBERRIES
Tray-Freezing Whole Berries
Best and quickest method
Wash berries and drain on towels. Pat dry with another towel.
Place dry berries on waxed-paper-lined cookie sheets and freeze until solid.
Within 24 hours, package loosely in plastic bags and return to freezer.
Freezing Blueberries in Sugar
Excellent finished product
Wash berries and drain on towels. Pat dry with another towel.
Add ½ cup of sugar to each quart of berries and mix well.
Pack into containers, leaving ½-inch headspace.
Seal and freeze.
tip Berries packed with sugar retain their texture better than berries frozen unsweetened. The best way to preserve berries for use in pies is with sugar.
Drying Whole Berries
Dip in boiling water for 30 seconds to split the skins.
Dry the berries in a dehydrator at 115°F for 12 to 24 hours, stirring occasionally and rotating trays, until the fruit is hard but still chewy. Dry in an oven at 115°F for 18 to 36 hours, stirring occasionally and rotating trays, until the fruit is hard but still chewy. Or dry in the sun for 2 to 4 days, until hard but chewy. Take trays inside at night.
Cool and package in airtight containers.
tips For extra flavor, blueberries can be dipped in a honey solution before drying. Dissolve 1 cup sugar in 3 cups hot water. Cool to lukewarm and stir in 1 cup honey. Dip berries in solution and remove with a slotted spoon. Drain well before drying.
Honey-dipped or plain, dried berries and cherries are delicious eaten as a confection. They can be directly added to breakfast cereals and muffin and cake batters.
CHERRIES
Freezing Tart Cherries in Sugar
Best method
Wash cherries, stem, and pit, using a cherry pitter or sharp paring knife.
Add ¾ cup of sugar to each quart of cherries and mix well.
Pack into containers, leaving ½-inch headspace.
Seal and freeze.
Freezing Sweet Cherries