Dried figs are the fruit of the fig tree. How to make dried (dried) figs at home

There are about a dozen ways to dry figs to long-term storage. The choice of option depends on:

maturity and variety of figs;
weather conditions of the procurement region;
presence/absence of a special device for drying vegetables and fruits.

Methods for drying figs

1. In the sun figs are dried in southern regions and countries with subtropical/tropical climates in hot weather with normal or slightly below normal humidity. Excess moisture present in the air slows down the drying process and provokes the spread of mold and rot.

Before drying figs in the sun, you should prepare:

5 liter saucepan;
colander;
spoon or spatula;
2 glasses of water;
1 cup of sugar;
paper towels;
metal grille made of stainless steel;
2-3 meters of gauze in one sheet;
the same amount of cotton fabric;
covering film over an area the size of a grate.

The sequence of actions is designed for a workpiece of 2-3 kg fresh figs. In this method, it is dried entirely. The color of figs can range from green to yellow. It is better to use black figs for making jam rather than drying them in the sun.

Place the fruits in a saucepan, add water and rinse carefully. Drain in a colander.
Place the pan on the fire, mix water with sugar and prepare syrup. Due to natural chemical composition Fig fruits are prone to fermentation. Overripe fruits begin to turn sour already on the tree. Treatment with boiling syrup displaces excess air from them, and sugar acts as a preservative. You can blanch without sugar if the goal is to preserve the natural taste of the wine berry.
Place the figs in the pan, cover with a lid and cook for 5-7 minutes.
Remove the fruits to a colander and let cool.
Place the berries on a wire rack in the sun so that they do not touch each other. Provide air access from all sides.
Turn the fruits over once a day to dry evenly.
If there are a lot of insects around, cover the fruits with gauze.
At night, cover the grille with a dry cotton cloth and a film on top to protect it from dew and condensation, or bring it into the house.

Under the hot sun, wine berries are dried entirely in 2-3 days. Their skin becomes dense and dry, and moisture does not release from the fruit when pressed. The color of the finished dried figs, with initially light shades, becomes golden or golden brown.

If, with this processing method, you increase the proportion of sugar in the syrup, for example, take 2 cups of sugar for 3 glasses of water and boil the figs for 12-15 minutes, then after drying you will get candied fruits.

2. In an electric dryer the fruits are dried in slices. Dark figs can be dried. Need to:

Cut the fruit into slices 2-3 mm thick.
Place the slices in a single layer on the drying rack.
Set the temperature to +55…+60 °C.
Load the tiers and change them every 4 hours so that the circulating air blows over the figs evenly.

Depending on the power of the device, the area of the grates and the size of the slices, the figs dry out in 1-2 days.

3. In the oven figs can be dried both black and green; whole or cut into halves/quarters; pre-glazed with syrup, boiled or fresh. Basic principles:

Always set the temperature to the minimum. Recommended temperature for drying figs is +60 °C. If in a particular oven it is higher, for example, it starts from +100...+120 °C, the fruits should be turned over more often - every 2 hours.
Place berries, cut into halves/quarters, cut side up.
Do not use a baking tray or baking dish. Dry only on a wire rack so that the fruits are blown with air.
Keep the oven door ajar at all times. When the door is closed, the moisture remains inside, so the figs will bake in own juice and not dry out.

Cooking time depending on the oven model, the location of the baking sheets, the drying temperature and the culinary form of the figs: from 8 hours to 2 days. Its readiness should be periodically checked tactilely, visually and by taste.

4. Microwave You can dry figs if it is equipped with convection, grill and grill.

Fresh fig fruits should be cut into thin slices and placed on a wire rack in 1 layer.
For drying, use the “Defrost” mode, the initial time is 30 minutes. Keep the door closed!
After the timer goes off, check readiness. If the slices are slightly damp, extend the time by 5-10 minutes until completely dry.

5. In a convection oven The figs are dried fresh and cut into quarters.

Place the fruit pieces on the wire rack with the cuts facing up so that they do not touch each other.
Set the temperature to +55 °C.
Insert a skewer (usually included) between the grill and the convection oven lid to ensure the outflow of moist air.

Drying time will be about 12 hours. Readiness should be checked organoleptically.

6. In a slow cooker Of course, you can dry figs if you really want to and there is absolutely no other option. However, this appliance is not intended for drying vegetables and fruits. The output portion will be very small, since its volume is limited by the diameter of the multicooker bowl. Need to:

Line the bottom of the bowl with parchment paper.
Thinly slice the figs into slices.
Place the slices on paper in 1 layer.
Keep the multicooker lid open until the end of the drying process.
Select the “Baking” mode and save it until visually half-ready, when the figs have wilted and most of the moisture has been removed from them.
Reset the mode and set “Auto heating”.
Throughout the drying process, periodically check the readiness and turn the slices over.

7. In a dehydrator The drying time for figs cut into 2-3 mm slices will be 24-36 hours. This device differs from a conventional vegetable dryer by uniformly blowing the trays without loss of temperature between levels, so it can be reduced from the recommended one.

Cut the fruits into thin slices.
Place on a wire rack in 1 layer.
Set the temperature to +43 °C.
Check dried fruits after 24 hours. If necessary, leave for another 12 hours.

8. In Isidri figs can be dried quickly and evenly.

Cut the fruits into 2-3 mm slices.
Place on racks in 1 layer, with the slices touching each other.
Set the temperature to +55 °C.
Load the dryer.

Drying time: 9-10 hours.

How to store dried figs at home in an apartment

1. This dried fruit can be stored at room conditions:

in bundles, strung on cotton threads, away from the stove, hood and open windows. Shelf life - 2-3 months at a temperature of +20...+22 °C and normal air humidity (60-70%). Disadvantage of the method: the fruits are sensitive to fluctuations in humidity and can become moldy and rot.
in linen or canvas bags, no more than 2 kg in one bag, in a dry, ventilated area. The requirements for the storage mode are the same. With this storage method, old-timers in Abkhazia and Azerbaijan recommend eating September preparations before the New Year. The maximum shelf life is until March, that is, no more than 7 months.
V glass jars under vacuum covers. This best way storage at room conditions. This way, the delicate dried fruit will be protected from fluctuations in humidity and temperature, pathogenic bacteria and mold spores. Shelf life - up to 1 year.

2. In the refrigerator dried figs stored in airtight containers, the tightness of which is carefully checked. They should be placed on the bottom shelf. The shelf life if properly dried is up to 12 months.

3. Containers are also used in the freezer to store dried fruit. When frozen taste qualities dried figs last up to 24 months.

How to choose good dried figs at the market/store

1. GOST for dried figs regarding their storage.

The current GOST 12003-76 states that dried fruits without factory processing must be packaged in containers with a net weight of up to 25 kg. Storage must be carried out in compliance with sanitary standards at a temperature of +5 to +20 °C and a relative humidity of no more than 70% in warehouses free from the presence of various pests.

High-quality dried figs should be dense, but at the same time elastic; have a characteristic odor and organoleptic properties. Its color should be uniform. It ranges from beige and golden to dark brown. It depends on the color of the raw material.

with traces of moisture and condensation;
a large number of mechanical damages;
rotten and with signs of fermentation;
with a taste of gasoline;
covered with spots;
contaminated with mold;
worn out by insects;
with traces of rodent activity.

2. Do I need to wash store-bought dried figs before eating?

Before eating, dried fruits must be washed by first soaking them in warm water for a few minutes. This will remove dust, dirt particles, bacteria and possible traces of chemicals from their surface.

3. There is a white coating on figs - what does this mean?

The white coating on dried figs does not pose a danger to the consumer. This is just crystalline sugar that appears, the excess of which is due to the natural sweetness of the fruit or the method of drying with pre-treatment syrup.

Video instructions

How to dry figs for the winter

How to dry figs correctly (step-by-step recipe)

Figs (figs) are prized high content iron, potassium, calcium, as well as a distinctive abundance of fiber. Drying figs allows you to preserve the taste of the fruit, as well as vitamins and minerals with minimal loss. But the main reason for the spread of dried figs is the increase in the shelf life of this fruit, since ripe fresh fruits spoil within a week.

You can make dried figs at home using the natural heat of the sun, or using equipment - dryers, ovens, microwaves. Before preparing figs for drying, it is necessary to rinse them well and cut off all damaged and rotten areas. Please note that it is very difficult to properly wash already dried figs. After washing, the fruit must be wiped dry with a cloth or cotton towel.

To speed up the drying process, cut the figs in half from nose to tip, or into smaller pieces. For natural drying in the sun, it is best to use an oven rack or similar structure to ensure ventilation on all sides, since delaying the drying process can cause the fruit to rot. Do not try to use solid solid surfaces such as cardboard or a baking sheet for this purpose. Place the fig halves with the cut side up.

In order to protect dried figs from insects attracted by the sweet smell of the fruit, use gauze as a covering material, or loose natural fabric. To secure it, use adhesive tape to prevent flies, wasps and dust from getting inside. To dry, the grill must be placed in a sunny, well-ventilated place; it is advisable to start the procedure in hot weather.

Drying figs in the sun will take 2-3 days. If the temperature outside drops below 20 degrees Celsius at night, then it makes sense to bring the figs indoors. Dried figs can be considered ready when they have a leathery surface to the touch, and pressure does not lead to the appearance of juice. If the dried figs are still a little sticky, you can cook them in the oven.

Similarly, figs can be dried in a special dryer or oven, the process will go twice as fast, but with higher energy costs. Dried figs should be stored in a cool place in a closed container for no more than 9-10 months. If dried figs are frozen, their shelf life increases to two years.

To add sweetness to dried figs, boil them for 10 minutes before drying. aqueous solution Sahara. To prepare the solution, use 1 cup of sugar to 3 cups of water. When cooking, constant stirring is required, and after it, carry out the usual drying procedure. This way you will have a wonderful delicacy for any sweet table.

Tell your friends about it.

Figs (figs) are valued for their high content of iron, potassium, calcium, as well as a distinctive abundance of fiber. Drying figs allows you to preserve the taste of the fruit, as well as vitamins and minerals with minimal loss. But the main reason for the spread of dried figs is the increase in the shelf life of this fruit, since ripe fresh fruits spoil within a week.

You can make dried figs at home using natural heat from the sun, or using equipment - dryers, ovens, microwaves. Before preparing figs for drying, it is necessary to rinse them well and cut off all damaged and rotten areas. Please note that it is very difficult to properly wash already dried figs. After washing, the fruit must be wiped dry with a cloth or cotton towel.

To add sweetness to dried figs, you should boil them for 10 minutes in an aqueous sugar solution before drying. To prepare the solution, use 1 cup of sugar to 3 cups of water. When cooking, constant stirring is required, and after it, carry out the usual drying procedure. This way you will have a wonderful delicacy for any sweet table.

Fig tree, fig tree - these are sometimes different names for figs. His dried fruits They have long ceased to be an exotic product. They are a natural source of substances vital to our body.

How to dry figs with your own hands? We'll talk about this today.

All beneficial features dried figs are determined by the vitamins and minerals it contains, pectin and fiber.

Fig fruits are very delicate, so fresh it is impossible to preserve them for a long time. They will not withstand long-term transportation; one of the ways to prepare them is drying. There are several ways to prepare figs at home.

Preparation for processing

It is better to pick fruits for drying when they are fully ripe. To protect figs falling from a tree from debris, it is necessary to spread a clean cloth under them in advance. All fallen harvest is sorted, and whole, undamaged fruits are left for processing. If necessary, you can rinse the figs in the shower. After this, they are laid out on a sieve to evaporate moisture.

Drying

The dried fruits are dipped into the bubbling water for a couple of seconds. sugar syrup to avoid fermentation processes. Then they are laid out on racks, with the top of the figs facing the sun. In damp weather or in case of rain, as well as at night, the grille is brought into the house. The fruits are turned over every 2 days to prevent them from caking.

Make sure that fruit flies do not land on them. A-mukh, read the link.

After a week, the fruits will wilt and be removed from the grill. Top part press lightly inward to give the fig a flattened disk shape. The fruits are strung on a strong thread and placed in a shaded place until final drying.

If it is not possible to dry the figs in natural conditions, then you can do this by drying vegetables and fruits. It maintains good ventilation and can be adjusted temperature regime. The temperature in it should be maintained no more than 60 °, otherwise the sugar contained in the fruits will caramelize, worsening the taste of the dried fruits.

To speed up the process, you can smoke the figs before drying them with sulfur. Per kilogram of fruit you will need 2 grams of sulfur. A tray with burning coals is placed in a special box and sprinkled with sulfur; a grate with figs is installed on top. Finished dried fruits should be elastic; when squeezing the fruit, the pulp should not be squeezed out through the peephole.

Beneficial features

Not all lovers of this sweet fruit know the benefits of dried figs and how to choose them correctly. High-quality fruits are relatively soft to the touch, colored in light shades of beige or brown, and slightly flattened in shape.

IN folk medicine dry figs are used to treat coughs and colds. When dried, the fruit has a laxative effect. Due to the presence of magnesium and iron salts, dried figs help increase hemoglobin, are useful for anemia, and improve blood quality.

Among other dried fruits, dried figs, the benefits of which have long been known and well studied, rank first in fiber content; after consuming it, you will feel full for a long time.

Figs are tasty and healthy treat. You can buy it ready-made, because this product is available in almost every store. Better yet, cook it yourself. How to dry figs at home? To do this, several proven methods are used, which will be discussed in the article.

Preparation

There are several drying options. With each of them you can save a lot of vitamins and valuable substances. Before you learn how to properly dry figs, you should prepare them for the procedure. For drying, you need to choose ripe fruits. It is important that they fall from the tree themselves. Then the figs must be washed and damage removed. You need to determine what it will be - sweet or with a natural taste.

If you like the sweet taste, then you should prepare the fruits for drying. Pour water (3 cups) into a saucepan and bring it to a boil. Then add sugar (1 cup), boil the figs for 7-10 minutes. When cooking, carefully stir the fruits. Then they should be drained in a colander and dried. After this, the product is ready for processing. How to dry figs at home is described below.

In the sun

How to dry figs naturally at home? Clean and dried fruits should be placed on a wire rack. When drying, figs attract insects, so the grate should be wrapped in gauze, which will also protect from dust.

The product must be installed so that air reaches the fruit from all sides. To speed up the process, cut the figs sharp knife in half and place on the grill with the cut side up. Drying time is 4-6 days. Then the fruits are strung on a strong thread and taken to the shade to dry.

Oven

How to properly dry figs in the oven? To perform this procedure correctly, you must follow some guidelines. Dry fruits should be placed on a wire rack. You should not use a baking sheet for this. In order for the figs to dry, air must approach from all sides. If the grate has large holes, cover it with gauze.

Turn the oven on low and leave the door ajar. The fruits must be turned over every 2 hours. The duration of the procedure is 2-3 days. This is the answer to the question of how to dry figs in the oven.

Electric dryer

This device shortens the drying process, while the product retains its juiciness and acquires a golden hue. How to dry figs in a dryer? This work is performed according to the following instructions:

Cut the fruits into 2 even parts and place on a towel, which will allow you to remove the liquid after blanching.
The halves should be placed on the trays of the device.
If the figs are not large, then the processing time is no more than 10 hours.
Large berries take a long time to dry.

Drying figs at home in a dryer is very convenient. The fruits are no less tasty and healthy.

Storage

Housewives need to know not only how to dry figs at home, but also how to store them. For this you need bags made of thick material or paper. This will preserve juiciness and taste, and also prevent mold.

If a white coating has formed on the dried fruit, this indicates the presence of crystallized glucose, which is why the product has a sweet taste. Fruits should not be left in a damp place to ensure they last for a long time.

Benefit

Figs also have other names: fig or The fruit is medicinal, so it is used in the treatment of various ailments. The leaves serve as raw materials for the remedy “Psoberan” for baldness and vitiligo. And the fruits are used in the manufacture of the drug “Kafiol” for the treatment of constipation. The fruits are used to get rid of coughs and nasopharyngeal diseases.

The fruits are used to treat:

anemia;
fever;
bronchial asthma;
muscular rheumatism;
constipation;
gastritis;
urolithiasis;
colds of the female genital organs;
skin diseases.

Figs have antipyretic, laxative, and diaphoretic effects. It is also known for its nourishing, softening, healing and antioxidant effects. The fruits contain pectin, which restores connective tissue. This property is indispensable for the treatment of injuries, fractures, and joint diseases.

WITH regular use fig cleanses the blood, strengthens vascular system, the elasticity of veins and capillaries improves. The dried fruit contains ficin, which reduces blood clotting, protects against the formation of blood clots, and reduces atherosclerotic plaques in blood vessels. Dried figs restore strength in cases of exhaustion and vitamin deficiency. It improves brain function, improves tone and performance. The fruits treat persistent coughs and make breathing easier. Eat special recipes, according to which they are preparing medicinal products to relieve cold symptoms.

Who shouldn't eat berries?

The fruits should not be consumed if:

diabetes mellitus;
obesity;
acute gastrointestinal disease;
diarrhea;
pancreatitis;
gout

Persons with allergies should also not include dried figs in their food. In case of contraindications, it is advisable to consult a doctor.

Calorie content

100 g of product contains 248 kcal. This one is delicious sweet dessert will be suitable for those who watch their figure. When choosing dried fruits, you need to pay attention to:

color - light brown;
shape - slightly flattened;
the size is the same.

Dried figs should not have a musty or sour smell. This indicates a low-quality product. It is better to throw away such berries than to get poisoned. If the fruit contains sugar, then the product is prepared with syrup. There should be no dark spots on the surface.

How to use?

Figs are included in many dishes. Dried berries taken in food:

as an independent product;
as an additive to sauces, desserts, compotes;
with honey, cream, cheese.

Just keep in mind that with the addition of other products, the calorie content of the dish increases.

How else can you prepare?

Figs can be prepared in the form of jam. You will need 1 kg of fruit, 0.5 kg of sugar and 1 liter of water. The berries must be pierced with a toothpick. Syrup is made using sugar and water. When it boils, figs are added to it. It only takes 5 minutes to boil. If the fruits remain at the top, they must be immersed in the syrup with a wooden spatula. Then remove the workpiece from the heat and leave for 12 hours.

Then the jam is boiled again for 5 minutes. Then turn off the gas and leave the product for 12 hours. The third time, you should boil it again, after which the dessert is put into jars. The result is a tasty and healthy jam.

Another method of preparation is freezing. It is advisable to take dark figs, which must be washed first. The fruits should be dried and then placed in bags, the air removed and placed in the freezer. In winter, a tasty and healthy treat will be ready.

In this way, figs can be prepared different ways. Drying is a common method of harvesting berries. They retain the taste, aroma and benefits. Using any suitable method, you can prepare valuable dried fruit.