What’s your favorite dried fruit? While dried grapes, better known as raisins, are the most popular dried fruit, dates, and dried plums or prunes are also at the top of the list. But the choices don’t end there.

Drying is the oldest method of preserving food. The process eliminates moisture from the food, resulting in a longer food life.

Nutrition

Dried fruits are high in fiber and carbohydrates and low in fat. However, since the moisture is removed from the fruit, the dried forms are more calorically dense than their fresh counterparts.

Commercially dried fruits are usually treated with sulfur dioxide to help retain color. Some fruits have sugar added during the drying process or are coated with sugar, so be sure to read the nutrition label.

If you want to make your food preparation a little more nutritious, try adding dried fruit to your recipes. Not only are they good for your body but they also can boost the texture and moisture levels of breads and other baked goods. The flavors of these ingredients can really give recipes an added punch. Here are some great-tasting fruit varieties to add to your pantry.

Raisins

Great in breads, cakes, cinnamon rolls, and muffins, raisins are a simple and healthy addition that almost everyone loves. Before adding to a recipe, plump them by microwaving them in some water or other liquid for a minute or two. I like to plump them, then a little orange juice before adding them to baked goods for a little extra flavor.

• Dark raisins: These are the most common variety found in markets, usually made from Thompson seedless grapes. Although they start as green grapes, the fruit naturally darkens as it dries.

  • White or golden raisins: These are also called muscats and are generally made of white muscat grapes, which are seeded, oven-dried (rather than by sun), and treated to retain their light color. Some golden raisins are dried Thompson seedless raisins, which have been kept light in color by the use of sulfur dioxide.

  • Sultanas: More popular in Europe, these raisins come from a seedless yellow grape and are usually softer and sweeter than other varieties. The American variety of the sultana grape is the Thompson seedless.

• Currants: The dried currant raisin is actually made from a Black Corinth grape called Zante. They are tiny, seedless, and very sweet.

Candied ginger

Full of healthful properties, ginger is a potent flavor that is best used in smaller amounts. Actually, a root, candied ginger is a great snack, as it is sweet and has fiber to make you feel satisfied. It goes well with a variety of foods, from meat to breads and cakes.

Dried apricots

Minced, these are wonderful in quick breads and oatmeal cookies. If the dried apricots are a little on the hard side, warm them in a little water or other liquid to soften them before chopping. There are many varieties of dried apricots available, so look for those that are soft and fresh. Apricots are heavenly when dipped in white, milk, or dark chocolate!

Dried cherries

When fresh cherries aren’t in season, use dried ones in your recipes instead. They are wonderful minced and put into cookies, scones, muffins, and quick or yeast breads.

Dried cranberries

Dried cranberries are made from real cranberries – a fruit known for its tangy taste and potential health benefits. The amount of sugar in dried cranberries is similar to that of other dried fruits, like raisins. Dried cranberries are sweetened because, unlike

other berries, cranberries are low in sugar and high in acidity so they require sweetening to be palatable.

Add dried cranberries to homemade cookies, muffins, quick breads, or cakes before baking.

Dried plums or prunes

Packed with fiber, dried plums are very healthful. Try them in bread pudding, coffee cake, cookies, scones, or strudel.

Dried fruit will last a long time, but like most foods, it will deteriorate in both nutrition and palatability over time. To enjoy dried fruit at its best:

• Store the fruit in a cool, dark, dry place.
• For the very best fruit, use it within six months. (Most processors recommend one year.)
• Once opened, carefully close the bag and store the fruit in the refrigerator. Refrigeration will retard oxidation and keep your fruit from drying out.

Tips

When chopping is necessary for a recipe, the fruit will be easier to handle if it has been in the freezer for an hour or so. Snipping with kitchen shears is a great way to chop dried fruit quickly. Dip the shears in hot water every so often to keep the fruit from sticking to the shears. Before adding chopped dried fruit to a cake or bread batter, toss it with some of the flour called for in the recipe. This will keep it from sticking together and sinking to the bottom of the batter.

There are other types of dried fruit available. Try some today, and throw in some nuts, too, for a little extra texture. The addition of healthful and flavorful fruit eliminates the need for over-sugaring recipes. Happy and healthy holiday baking and cooking!

Written by Vicki Hayman, MS, University of Wyoming Extension Nutrition and Food Safety Educator