Dried apples are a very healthy and tasty snack. You can replace deep fried potato chips with them. Drying process also does not influence the quality of apples and their nutritional values. Importantly, you can easily make them yourself at home.
Dried apples made at home are very cheap and healthy. To make them it is best to choose apples that have less juice in them, such as antonovki. Before chopping and drying them you should wash them thoroughly and peel the skin, which turns out to be too hard after drying. Cut out the hard center and remove the seeds. You can do this with a special knife. Then cut the whole apples into slices about 2-3 mm thick. Dried apples go very well with spices such as nutmeg, cinnamon and cardamom. You can also sprinkle them with a little sugar. Some people also love apples with hot spices, such as cumin or sweet paprika. Powdered ginger will also work very well. Spread the apple slices on a dry baking sheet or on baking paper. The oven should be set at 50-70 degrees Celsius. The apples will dry for at least 3 hours. To speed up the process, it’s also a good idea to turn on the thermostat. To keep the apples crisp it is a good idea to open the oven door from time to time to get rid of the steam. A very good way of drying apples is to expose them to the sun, e.g. on a sunny stove top. Special fruit and mushroom dryers are also available. The drying time depends on the kind of apples you want to obtain. If you like your apples crisp, you may want to keep them in the oven or in the fruit dryer for a little longer. Drying apples in a fruit dryer is more efficient because they are placed on special screens, so they have access to air on both sides. When drying them in the oven, we can turn them from one side to the other from time to time
It is advisable to store dried apples in tightly closed containers, e.g. jars. They can also be kept in linen bags. They should remain fresh for at least six months. You can use them in various ways, e.g. they wonderfully complement the taste of compote. Granola with homemade dried apples will taste delicious. Many people decorate cakes with them or add them to desserts. Dried apples can be a great substitute for unhealthy snacks. Certainly children will love them.
Dried apples have a lot of vitamins in them. First of all they are a source of valuable for us fibre, but also vitamin C, so important in everyday life. They are light and do not cause indigestion. They are recommended as a snack for people who struggle with gluten intolerance and cannot afford to eat, for example, wheat scones. They are also low in calories. This is an ideal healthy snack for people on a reduction diet. Thanks to their low glycemic index, you can eat them instead of highly processed snacks with a high index, full of preservatives and glucose-fructose syrup. Additionally, they suppress the appetite much faster and improve intestinal peristalsis. Dried fruits are also great on the go as a healthy snack between meals.
