How to dry strawberries in an electric drier?

One way to harvest strawberries for the winter is to dry it. Previously, this process took more time and required constant monitoring.Thanks to the appeared devices designed specifically for this purpose, the drying process becomes less troublesome. If you follow the rules, the berries will retain not only the taste and aroma, but also all the beneficial properties. Therefore, dried berries can be used as a snack, added to beverages and pastries, used as decoration and flavor.

There are only two devices for drying:

• electric dryer;
• dehydrator.

Many will think that this is the same thing. The essence of these devices is to remove moisture from the berries. A fundamental difference lies in the method of air supply, temperature control and internal device. The average electric dryer is a multi-level construction of food-grade plastic, in the lower part of which there is a heating element and a fan - with its help air circulates.

The internal structure of the dehydrator is more complex and can be used not only for drying, but also for preparing some dishes. Among its functions, the most practical are:

• selection of temperature conditions;
• regulation of force and direction of air flow;
• timer and auto power off;
• thermostat.

So that after drying the strawberry its appearance and taste pleased you, follow a few basic rules.

• Overripe berries are not suitable for drying because they lose their shape, juice, and with it useful vitamins and the result is not very appetizing. To dry them, of course, you can, but only as a last resort. Ideally, the berries should be strong and even slightly underripe.
• Before drying, strawberries need to sort out. Crumpled and damaged berries, as well as all sorts of twigs, leaves, stems and other debris must be removed.
• For many housewives, the question of whether to wash strawberries remains controversial. On the one hand, such berries easily absorb water, then under the influence of warm air they spread out and stick to the pallets. On the other hand, if you bought berries and are not sure of their purity, they must be washed in cold running water and dried with paper towels.

In a pinch, this can be done when they are dried. To do this, they must be placed in a deep dish and pour warm water. Let stand for 5-10 minutes and drain.

• The berries cleared of garbage are necessary for scattering on trays of the dryer. The smaller the layer, the faster and more thoroughly the fruits will dry out. Large strawberries can be cut.
• The initial temperature should not exceed 30 degrees. So strawberries should be dried for three to five hours. Then the temperature can be increased to 45 degrees. Setting too high a temperature threatens to form too hard a crust on the surface of the berry, which may prevent the evaporation of the juice.
• The total drying time averages about 12 hours. This period can be longer or shorter depending on the power of your device or the saturation of the berries with moisture. During this time it is necessary to mix the berries at least twice, and also to change the pallets in some places. After turning off the device, the berries should cool down and only after that they can be packaged into containers intended for this purpose.
• As in any other business, control is important here. Both during the entire time of drying, and in relation to ready-made berries (they can be slightly soft, but without the juice inside). Do not leave the appliance turned on overnight.

• If the strawberries were not transported correctly or you had to wash them and they spread out, do not despair. From the resulting mass can be prepared strawberry candy. To do this, your berries need to be cleaned and chopped with a blender.
• Pallets must be covered with baking paper. On this paper, we pour the resulting homogeneous mass.It is possible to pour both small pancakes, and a wide layer no more than 5 mm thick.
• After 10 hours, the pastilles should be allowed to cool completely to room temperature and can be eaten or stored. For convenience, it can be rolled into a tube.
• Also strawberries can be dried. To do this, it is filled with sugar at the rate of 1 kg of berries per 0.5 kg of sand and left in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours. Then you need to cook a thick syrup of water and sugar (1: 1 ratio). Add candied berries to it, boil for 10 minutes and drain through a sieve or colander. Dry in three stages. The first two - at a temperature of 85-75 degrees for half an hour. Then cool and mix. Then at 45 degrees for 5-6 hours.
• In addition to berries, strawberries can be dried and leaves. They can be added to tea, used for crafts or decor. They are dried for 2-3 hours to brittleness.
• After drying, it is important to properly store the strawberries so that it does not deteriorate as long as possible. Paper or cloth bags as well as glass jars for storing food are ideal for this. Packaged products should be stored in a dry, cool place, away from sunlight.

To learn how to dry strawberries in an electric dryer, see the following video.