Prunes are not only an indispensable component of the dried fruit compote so beloved by many. By itself, it is very healthy and tasty. Everyone knows its beneficial effect on the gastrointestinal tract. But besides this, prunes are able to raise immunity, absorb free radicals and, thanks to this, even have a rejuvenating effect on the body and improve the condition of the skin.
It is necessary
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- For 1 kg of prunes:
- 4 kg 500 g plum
- 100 g of drinking water
- 10 l of water
Instructions
Step 1
If you have a desire to smoke prunes yourself, at home, be prepared for the fact that this is a rather lengthy process. The result is a delicious dessert that retains maximum benefits. Your prunes will look a little less fancy than the one you see in the store, but keep in mind that the shine on purchased prunes is achieved by chemical treatment and fumigation with gas.
Step 2
Select only whole and non-worm plums. Rinse them well.
Put a pot of water on the stove and, when the water boils, dilute baking soda in it at the rate of 100 g of soda per 10 liters of water.
Dip the plum into the soda solution for literally 10-20 seconds. Blanching will help speed up the drying process somewhat. A net of small cracks will appear on the fruit.
Step 3
Place the plums on a towel to dry. When the fruits are dry, carefully prick them in several places with a fork. A few punctures are enough. It is not necessary to remove the stone, it has been proven that the fruits dried with the stone retain much more vitamins and microelements.
Step 4
Now spread the plum in a single layer on a baking sheet in the oven. You need to dry prunes in several doses, 4 hours each. The first 4 hours the temperature in the oven should be 40-45 degrees, the next 4 hours - 60 degrees, and then bring the heating to 75-80 degrees. Remove the baking sheet from the oven every 4 hours and let the fruit cool to room temperature. This must be done so that the fruits do not burst when overheated and do not lose juice. The plum should cool down for about 3-4 hours. Try to turn cooled fruits over to achieve even drying.
Dry the prunes by removing the trays from the oven at room temperature.
Step 5
The finished prune should be elastic, dark, dull and somewhat dusty. This means that no chemicals were used in the processing.
In industrial smoking of prunes, fumigation with smoke (sulfurous anhydride), as well as processing of fruits with glycerin, is used to speed up the process. It is thanks to this processing that they have a shiny, glossy appearance. However, you have prepared a truly healthy and pure product.
Store ready-made prunes in a cool dry place, laid out in paper bags to avoid dampness.
