Prepare fruit
Use only ripe and undamaged fruit. If possible, don't wash the fruit. If you do, let it dry thoroughly on towels. Blueberries, currants, gooseberries, grapes, and cranberries should be destemmed and dried whole. Stone fruit should be pitted and halved. All other fruit should be peeled and cut into slices a few millimeters thick. Pears can be dried with the skin and core on.
Dry in the oven with circulating air
Spread the prepared fruit out on a double layer of baking paper on a baking sheet, leaving enough space between them. They should not overlap. Dry them in a 50°C oven for approximately 12 to 24 hours, depending on the type of fruit. To allow the moisture to escape despite the circulating air, hold the oven door slightly open with a wooden spoon handle wedged between the two. To test, break the fruit slices in half at the thickest point. They should no longer be moist there.
Power for professionals
If you want to dry a lot of fruit, it's worth purchasing an electric dehydrator. Depending on the setting, this circulates warm air at 20 to 70 °C.
This allows the fruit to dry thoroughly in several layers – and in less time than in the oven. Store the dried fruit in a cool, dry, and dark place in airtight containers, such as dark glass jars, tins, and plastic containers. You can soak the fruit in cold or hot water before use, for example, for fruit cakes.
