Dried figs are the fruits of the fig tree. What are the benefits of dried figs

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

You can make dried figs at home using natural solar heat, or using equipment - dryers, ovens, microwaves. Before preparing the figs for drying, it is necessary to rinse it well and cut off all damaged and rotten places. Please note that it is very difficult to wash already dried figs with high quality. 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 from all sides, since delaying the drying process can cause fruit rot. Do not attempt to use solid, hard surfaces such as cardboard or a baking sheet for this purpose. Place the fig halves 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 the penetration of flies, wasps and dust inside. For drying, the grate 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 at night the temperature drops below 20 degrees Celsius outside, then it makes sense to bring figs into the room. Dried figs are ready when they have a leathery surface to the touch and pressure does not release juice. If the dried figs remain a little sticky, then they can be brought to the condition in the oven.

Similarly, figs can be dried in a special dryer or oven, the process will be twice as fast, but at a higher cost of electricity. 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, then its shelf life increases to two years.

To add to dried figs sweets, before drying, boil it for 10 minutes in aqueous solution Sahara. To prepare the solution, use 1 cup of sugar to 3 cups of water. During cooking, constant stirring is required, and after it, carry out the usual drying procedure. So you get a wonderful delicacy for any sweet table.

Who doesn't like the taste of figs? And it does not matter at all in what form it is - fresh or dried, its unsurpassed taste is able to take any exotic fruit. Speaking of fruits. Did you guess that figs are not even a fruit at all? And not even a berry! This is the flower of the fig tree, which is commonly called the fig.

Figs contain a lot beneficial substances, without which our body cannot exist - iron, calcium, fiber ... This sweet taste exotic fruit retains even in a dried state and does not let go of it for many months. The main thing is to know how to properly dry figs.

There are several drying methods, each of which will help you stock up on a storehouse of vitamins and minerals for the winter.

For the drying process, you need to pick up ripe fruits. The main sign of the ripeness of the fruit is that it should fall under the tree itself. So, we thoroughly wash the fruits, remove all damaged areas. Remember that already in dried form, we will not be able to clean the figs.

Now let's decide - you want to prepare sweet figs or with a natural taste. If you prefer the sweet taste of dried figs, then it is worth doing a preliminary manipulation.

Pour 3 cups of water into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Add a glass of sugar, mix and boil the prepared figs in the resulting sugar syrup for 7-10 minutes. During the cooking process, stir the fruits regularly with a wooden spatula. Throw the boiled berries in a colander and dry each of them thoroughly. Now the figs are ready for the drying procedure.

Drying in the sun

Put the washed and dried fruits on a wire rack. During the drying process, figs will attract insects with their sweet scent. Therefore, wrap the grate with a layer of gauze, which will protect the fruit from dust and insects. Install the rack so that air can flow to the fruit from all sides.

To speed up the drying process, the figs are cut sharp knife in half and place on the wire rack cut top.

The duration of the drying process in the sun is 4-6 days. Then string the fruits on a strong thread and take them to a shady place to dry.

Drying in the oven

To properly dry the fruits of the fig tree in the oven, you need to follow some rules.

Put the dried fruits on the oven grate.

Important! Never put figs on a baking sheet. In order for the fruits to dry properly, they need to provide air access from all sides! If your oven grate has large holes, you can line it with cheesecloth.

Turn the oven on low and leave the door ajar.
Turn the fruit every 2 hours.
The duration of the drying procedure in the oven is 2-3 days.

Drying in an electric dryer

An electric dryer can significantly reduce the drying process, while the dried figs retain their juiciness and acquire a beautiful golden color.

Cut the figs into two even pieces and lay on a towel to help remove any excess liquid after blanching.
Spread the halves of the fig tree evenly on all the trays of the electric dryer.
If you do not have large fruits, then the drying time is no more than 10 hours.
Large fruits should be dried for a longer time.

Storing dried figs

You can store properly dried figs in bags made of thick cloth or paper. This will help them retain their juiciness and flavor and prevent mold from forming.

If a white coating forms on the dryers, then you should not be afraid of it - this is just crystallized glucose, which gives the figs a sweet taste.

Cannot be stored dried figs in a humid environment.

We suggest that you familiarize yourself with an interesting video about drying figs in an electric dryer.

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

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

Ways to dry 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 l pot;
colander;
spoon or spatula;
2 glasses of water;
1 cup of sugar;
paper towels;
stainless steel metal grate;
2-3 meters of gauze with 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 be from green to yellow. Black figs are best used to make jam, rather than dried in the sun.

Place the fruits in a saucepan, cover with water and rinse gently. Throw away in a colander.
Put the pan on the fire, mix water with sugar and prepare syrup. Due to natural chemical composition fig fruits are prone to fermentation. Overripe seedlings begin to sour already on the tree. Processing with boiling syrup displaces excess air from them, and sugar acts as a preservative. You can blanch without sugar, if the task is to preserve the natural taste of the wine berry.
Pour the figs into the pan, cover and cook for 5-7 minutes.
Take out the fruits in a colander and let cool.
Spread the berries on a grill under the sun so that they do not touch each other. Provide air access from all sides.
Turn the fruits once a day for even drying.
If there are a lot of insects around, cover the fruits with gauze.
At night, cover the grate with a dry cotton cloth, and on top with a film to protect it from dew and condensate, or bring it into the house.

Under the hot sun wine berries dried completely in 2-3 days. Their skin becomes dense and dry, no moisture is released 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, the proportion of sugar in the syrup is increased, for example, take 2 cups of sugar for 3 cups of water and boil the figs for 12-15 minutes, then after drying, candied fruits will be obtained.

2. In an electric dryer the fruits are dried in slices. You can dry dark figs. Need to:

Cut the fruit into slices 2-3 mm thick.
Place slices in 1 layer on the drying rack.
Set the temperature to +55…+60 °C.
Load the tiers, change their places every 4 hours so that the circulating air blows the figs evenly.

Depending on the power of the device, the area of \u200b\u200bthe grates and the size of the slices, the fig dries 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 minimum temperature. The recommended temperature for drying figs is +60 °C. If it is higher in a particular oven, for example, it starts from +100 ... +120 ° C, the fruits should be turned over more often - every 2 hours.
Berries, cut into halves / quarters, place cut side up.
Do not use a baking sheet 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, moisture remains inside, so the figs will bake in own juice and not dry out.

Cooking time depending on the model of the oven, 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. In the microwave you can dry figs if it is equipped with convection, grill and wire rack.

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 has expired, check the readiness. If the slices are slightly damp, extend the time by 5-10 minutes until completely dry.

5. Airfryer figs are dried fresh and cut into quarters.

Place the pieces of fruit on the grill cut side up so that they do not touch each other.
Set the temperature to +55 °C.
Insert a skewer (usually included in the kit) between the grill and the lid of the air grill and thereby 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 the figs if you really want to and there is absolutely no other option. However, this appliance is not intended for drying fruits and vegetables. The output portion will turn out to 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.
Slice the figs thinly.
Lay out the cut on paper in 1 layer.
Keep the multicooker lid open until the end of the drying process.
Select the “Baking” mode and keep it until it is visually half cooked, when the figs wither and most of the moisture leaves it.
Reset the mode and set "Auto heating".
During the entire drying process, periodically check the readiness and turn the slices.

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

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

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

Cut the fruit into slices of 2-3 mm.
Place on the grids in 1 layer, while the slices can touch each other.
Set the temperature to +55 °C.
Load dryer.

Drying time: 9-10 hours.

How to store dried figs at home in an apartment

1. At room conditions, this dried fruit can be stored:

in ties, 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 humidity (60-70%). The disadvantage of the method: the fruits are sensitive to fluctuations in humidity, can become moldy and rot.
in linen or canvas bags, no more than 2 kg in one bag, in a dry, ventilated area. The storage requirements are the same. With this method of storage, the old-timers of Abkhazia and Azerbaijan recommend eating September preparations before the New Year. The maximum storage period is until March, that is, no more than 7 months.
v glass jars under vacuum covers. This the best way storage at room conditions. So the tender dried fruit will be protected from fluctuations in humidity and temperature, the ingress of pathogenic bacteria and mold spores. Shelf life - up to 1 year.

2. In the refrigerator, dried figs are stored in airtight containers, the tightness of which is carefully checked. They should be placed on the bottom shelf. Shelf life with proper drying will be up to 12 months.

3. Containers are also used in the freezer for storing dried fruit. When frozen, the taste qualities of dried figs are preserved for up to 24 months.

How to choose a good dried fig in the market / store

1. GOST for dried figs in terms of its storage.

The current GOST 12003-76 states that dried fruits without factory processing must be packed in containers with a net weight of up to 25 kg. Storage should be carried out in compliance with sanitary standards at a temperature of +5 to +20 ° C and a relative humidity of not 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 must be uniform. It varies 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 damage;
rotten and with signs of fermentation;
with a taste of gasoline;
covered with spots;
moldy;
eaten away by insects;
with traces of rodents.

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

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

3. White coating on figs - what does this mean?

White coating on dried figs does not pose a danger to the consumer. This is just crystalline sugar that has come through, 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 Properly (Step by Step Recipe)

Fig tree, fig tree - so sometimes they can call figs in a different way. Its dried fruits 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? This is what we'll talk about today.

All the beneficial properties of dried figs are determined by the vitamins and minerals contained in it, pectin and fiber.

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

Preparation for processing

Fruit for drying is better to collect fully ripened. To protect figs falling from a tree from debris, it is necessary to spread a clean cloth under it in advance. The entire fallen crop is sorted, whole fruits without damage are left for processing. If necessary, you can rinse the figs under the shower. After that, they are laid out on a sieve to evaporate moisture.

Drying

Dried fruits are dipped for a couple of seconds in a bubbling sugar syrup to avoid fermentation processes. Then they are laid out on lattices, while the upper part of the figs should be directed towards the sun. In wet weather or in case of rain, as well as at night, the grate is brought into the house. Every 2 days the fruits are turned over to prevent them from caking.

Make sure that fruit flies do not sit on them. Ah, read the link.

After a week, the fruit will dry out and be removed from the grill. Top part slightly pressed inward to give the figs the shape of a flattened disc. The fruits are strung on a strong thread and placed in a shaded place until the final drying.

If it is not possible to dry figs in natural conditions, then you can do this using drying for 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 caramelizes, worsening the taste of dried fruits.

To speed up the process, you can fumigate the figs before drying with sulfur. A kilogram of fruit will require 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. Ready dried fruits must be elastic; when the fruit is compressed, the pulp is not squeezed out through the eye.

Beneficial features

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

V traditional 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 the other dried fruits, dried figs, the benefits of which have long been known and well studied, rank first in terms of fiber content, after eating it, a feeling of satiety remains for a long time.

Fruits and berries

Description

dried figs- This is a very tasty and healthy exotic delicacy, the calorie content of which is quite low, which cannot be said about the beneficial properties. Even though the fruit is exposed heat treatment, it retains most of its useful properties. Let's take a closer look at them!

The benefits of dried figs for human body lies in the fact that his regular use will help to improve the work of the stomach and get rid of problems with digestive system, and this delicacy will also help eradicate diseases of the heart and blood vessels. Moreover, thanks to useful trace elements and vitamins, which are part of dried figs, this product is very useful for the prevention of hypertension, as well as for proper blood formation.
As for harm, figs can cause it only if you use such a fruit in too much large quantities, and it is also not recommended for people suffering from diabetes. Also, you can not eat fresh, dried or dried figs for those who are allergic to this product.

You can make your own dried figs and store them in a suitable dry place all winter, but for this you will need some of the ingredients listed on this page and our step by step photo recipe with which you can easily prepare such yummy at home.

Ingredients

Steps

Of course, the first thing you need to do is prepare main ingredient, that is - figs. You can buy it in a store or market, or you can grow it yourself. However, you should know that such a miracle grows only under certain conditions, but that's another story.

Cut the figs in half, after washing the fruit itself with running water. In the event that the fruits are small enough, you can not cut them, but simply pierce them with a needle or a toothpick in some places so that the peel does not burst.

Place the figs in a bowl or any other suitable container, sprinkling sugar on top of the figs. You need a little granulated sugar, just to let the figs juice. Fruit must be infused in the refrigerator for a whole day.

While the fruit is infusing, you can prepare the syrup. For its preparation, you can use any suitable container. In our case, it was a Turk for brewing coffee, since it is very convenient to prepare syrup in it. Type three hundred milliliters of water into a container and pour the same amount of sugar. Put the container on the fire and cook until it boils and the sugar is completely dissolved.

When the sugar melts and the syrup boils, you can start lowering the figs into it one by one. Keep fruit in syrup for a short time. It will be enough for a minute or even less for the figs to change color, after which you can transfer it to a plate and lower another fruit into a container with syrup.

Wait for the liquid to drain from the figs, after which you can put it on the pallets of the electric dryer, which will be needed in order to properly wither the fruit. They should be laid out on a pallet with the skin down, so that if the juice remains in the fruit, it does not leak out.

It is necessary to dry the figs in an electric dryer until dried for two to three hours. You can test its doneness by pressing your finger on the flesh of the fruit: if it is elastic enough, the surface is not sticky and the juice does not flow out when pressed, then the dried fig is ready. You can store treats in jars or containers throughout the winter in a cool place.

Bon Appetit!