Sorry if I've missed other posts on this subject, but I am trying out drying some of my glut of apples (Cox type). Copying the Apple Museum in Tasmania I have put metal trays of apple rings on the hot surface of my small wood burner. I put them in a solution of lemon and salt first to prevent them from browning.
The results are rather nice - some slightly caramelised by being on hot spots - but not exactly what I had in mind for winter storage in jars.
My next plan is to stretch a taut string over the wood burner and leave apple rings dangling out on it for a couple of days. It will be easy to fit more apple rings onto the string because I have a peeler/corer/slicer from Tasmania, so each ring comes with a slit in it.
Any advice or experience? I haven't got a dehydrator, though I might make one some day....
I saw a programme where the chef cut apples thinly and spread them on to a wooden rolling pin, baked them crisp and served them, with a filling. The rolling pin gave them a twisted shape, like a pringle.
The topping he made was a bit complicated. I think it was a beetroot jelly but I guess that topping them with cream cheese would be yummy.
I am not eating any more apples they have put half a stone on me. All those crumbles, pies and cakes.
My son brought me a pile and I have been stewing them in batches when I feel like it as I love stewed apple. I add lemon juice to give them a bit of zing as his apples are rather mild ones. In the past I have bought commercial apple rings but was not happy that they contained sulphur, used no doubt to keep them edible but they were definitely a bit oxidised in places so I won't buy them again.
Artichoke, couldn 't you stew yours and freeze them for future use?
Thanks for the replies, but I am trying to take the pressure off the freezer, where already I have countless tubs of apple puree. What I want to do is make successful apple rings and keep them in jars, not in the freezer. I love chewing them!
Have you got a conventional oven? I'm planning on trying the method here:
http://www.allotment.org.uk/allotment_foods/drying-food/Drying-Fruit-Vegetables.php (http://www.allotment.org.uk/allotment_foods/drying-food/Drying-Fruit-Vegetables.php)
Found this on line which might adapt to stewed apples instead of strawberries.
Strawberry Leather
3 cups fresh or frozen strawberries*
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. light corn syrup
Place strawberries in a blender and process until smooth. Measure 2 cups of strawberry puree. Stir in lemon juice and corn syrup. Line a 15x10 inch jellyroll pan with heavy-duty plastic wrap and tape plastic wrap to the pan at the corners. Pour strawberry mixture in prepared pan and spread thin, leaving 1 inch on all sides. You can adjust this to fit your dehydrator or another pan; be sure it is spread thin on the pan. Dry in an oven at 150° or a dehydrator for 7-8 hours or until surface is no longer sticky. Remove leather from pan while still warm and roll up jellyroll fashion. Cut into logs and wrap in plastic wrap. Make five 2 inch logs
| *Any other fruit may be used in place of the strawberries. |
Thanks again, links and all.
I may have found the answer. It might be difficult to believe, but I forgot we have an electric cooker on the top floor that we never use.... (A sort of guest flat with kitchen and bathroom). It has a fan only setting, no heat. I left some rings in there overnight without much happening, so I added a little heat this morning and the rings started to dry out quite quickly. I didn't think our usual gas oven would be any good as its lowest setting is rather unreliable (goes off) and it's such damp heat anyway.
I mention this in case it's useful to others, that the fan setting with the lowest possible heat does seem to be doing the job. I worry about wasting energy, but the amount used barely registers at all on an annoying little gadget my husband has that bleeps furiously if you use toaster, kettle and a heater all at the same time. So I don't think it is very wasteful, especially if I do lots at once.
If this works, I'll try out the rolled up fruit leathers - thanks for the idea.
I did a small test run last night. I sliced an apple on the mandolin side of a grater and put them on a wire rack in my electric fan oven. The lowest setting is 50c so I propped the door open a tiny bit. I checked them every hour until I thought they were done. They were crisp when I took them out last night but after 12 hours they are now chewy. They are very delicious! Next time, I'll try slicing them a bit thicker.
I am very pleased with the fan oven on its lowest possible heat setting, but after an hour or two I turn it off, leaving the fan on, and the rings are ready within about 6 hours. I am filling a large storage jar with them, and find this a good alternative to freezing apple pulp. Most of the apples on my tree are very small this year, and the rings shrink, but I think it is well worth doing.