Dried Fruit Category

Dried Fruit

Dried fruit is a terrific snack, but cooks also use it in everything from muffins to stews. Drying has the obvious advantage of letting us enjoy our favorite fruit when it's out of season, but it also serves to concentrate the fruit's flavor and sugar. Since high concentrations of sugar ward off bacteria, dried fruit can last up to a year without refrigeration.

If you live in a hot, dry climate, you can dry fruit just by leaving it out in the sun for a few days. Otherwise, you can use an oven or dehydrator. Sulfur dioxide is sometimes added to the fruit to improve its shelf life and color. If you're allergic to it, you can usually find unsulfured dried fruit at health food stores or you can remove some of the sulfur by boiling treated dried fruit for a minute or so, then draining off the liquid.

Varieties:

ajwa date, kurma ajwa, ajwa al madina

These dark skinned ajwa dates are grown around Medina, Saudi Arabia. They were said to have been a favorite of the prophet Mohammad.

barhi date (fresh)

barhi dates (fresh)

These yellow barhi dates can be peeled and eaten fresh or dried.

Chinese date (dried), Chinese jujube (dried), Chinese red date, jujube (dried)

Chinese dates (dried)

When fresh, these fruits are crisp like apples and have a mild, sweet flavor. In the United States, they're most often available dried. Chinese are different than middle eastern palm dates.

currants, dried Corinth grapes, Zante currants, Zante raisins, dried currants

These dried Zante grapes look like tiny raisins. Don't confuse them with the fresh sour berry that also called a currant.

date, dried date

These are rich in flavor, nutrients, and calories. Medjool dates are richer and meatier than the other Deglet Noor dates. Other varieties include Khalas, sukkary, barhi, medjool, ajwa and kimia. If you plan to chop them, look for cooking dates, date pieces, or pressed dates--they're a lot cheaper than the exquisite dessert dates that are intended to be eaten whole. Don't confuse dates with fresh dates, which are hard to find in supermarkets. To learn about different varieties of dates, click here.

dates (fresh)

Fresh dates are sometimes available at farmer's markets in the late summer. They're crunchy, and not as sweet as dried dates.

deglet noor date, deglet nour

deglet noor dates

These honey sweet translucent deglet noor dates are enjoyed in North Africa. They originated in Algeria.

dried apple

These are popular additions to trail mixes. They're often treated with sulfur to improve their color and shelf life.

dried apricot

Turkish dried apricots are lighter in color and milder in flavor than other varieties. They're often treated with sulfur to improve their color and shelf life.

dried apricot paste, ameerdine, qamar el-deen

dried apricot paste

People in the Middle East usually make a drink out of this fruit leather by putting it into boiling water. During Ramadan, it's often served before and after the day-long fast. Look for it in Middle Eastern markets.

dried banana, dried banana

These usually come in two forms: long spears, which are very sweet and best for cooking, and chips, which are fried in oil, crunchy, and best suited for trail mixes.

dried cantaloupe

dried cantaloupe

These are very sweet and have an intense cantaloupe flavor.

dried carrots, dried grated carrots

These are used to make muffins and cakes.

dried cherry

These are large and sweet, and they can serve as a refreshing alternative to raisins in many recipes.

dried citrus peel, dried fruit peel

dried citrus peel

Begin with orange, lemon, tangerine, or grapefruit peels, scrape off and discard as much of the bitter white pith as possible, and dry what's left in the sun until hard

dried cranberries, Craisins®

dried cranberries

With their flashy color and tangy flavor, dried cranberries are a good alternative to raisins in many recipes. Craisins is a well-known brand.

dried fig, black mission fig, Calimyrna fig, green fig

These are a great source of fiber and calcium. Varieties include the Black Mission fig, which is a good choice for eating out of hand, and the Calimyrna = Turkish = Smyrna fig, which is best for cooking. If your figs become too dry, you can rehydrate them with water. Don't eat the stems.

Dried Fruit

Dried fruit is a terrific snack, but cooks also use it in everything from muffins to stews. Drying has the obvious advantage of letting us enjoy our favorite fruit when it's out of season, but it also serves to concentrate the fruit's flavor and sugar. Since high concentrations of sugar ward off bacteria, dried fruit can last up to a year without refrigeration. If you live in a hot, dry climate, you can dry fruit just by leaving it out in the sun for a few days. If not, you can use an oven or dehydrator. Sulfur dioxide is sometimes added to the fruit to improve its shelf life and color. If you're allergic to it, you can usually find unsulfured dried fruit at health food stores. In a pinch, you can remove some of the sulfur by boiling treated dried fruit for a minute or so, then draining off the liquid.

dried mango

These are sometimes coated with sugar.

dried mulberries, toot

dried mulberries

These are the size of large raisins, and they taste like very dry figs. Look for them in Middle Eastern markets.

dried nectarines

dried nectarines

These are similar to dried peaches, but often a bit more expensive. They're often treated with sulfur.

dried papaya

These are sometimes coated with sugar.

dried peach

These are similar to dried apricots, only larger and milder. They're often treated with sulfur.

dried pear

These don't have the cloying sweetness of some dried fruits. They're often gassed with sulfur dioxide in the drying process in order to improve their color and shelf life.

dried persimmon

dried persimmon

These often have a white, sugary residue, which is edible.

dried pineapple

dried pineapple

These are sometimes coated with sugar.

dried strawberries

dried strawberries

These are sweet and chewy, and they're great in trail mixes or granola.

golden raisin, Sultana

These are more tart than ordinary raisins.

grated coconut, shredded coconut, desiccated, grated coconut, flaked coconut

Bags of grated coconuts are usually stored among the baking supplies in larger markets. Varieties include dried or desiccated coconut, flaked, angel flake, moist, sweetened and unsweetened, toasted and untoasted, and macaroon coconut. To make your own: To grate, peel off the brown skin, then grate the white flesh with a grater, food processor, or vegetable peeler. To toast, spread unsweetened grated coconut on a baking sheet and bake in a 350°F oven until coconut is golden (about 5 minutes).

halawi date

These amber-colored sweet chewy halawi dates are grown extensively in Iraq.

khalas date

Khalas dates originated in Saudi Arabia.

kimia date

These dark kimia dates are grown widely in southern Iran. They are moist and soft.

kokum, cocum, kokum ful

This Indian souring agent is made from dried mangosteen peels. It's often used in fish dishes. Look for it in Indian markets.

litchi nut, leechee nut, lichee nut, lichi nut, lychee nut

These are sun-dried litchis. The outer shells are brown and the meat inside looks like a large raisin. Look for them in Asian markets.

medjool date, Medjool, Majhul

These large sweet medjool dates are very popular. If picked early they are called rutab dates. They originated in Tafilalt, Morocco but are enjoyed around the world.

muscat raisins

These are large and very sweet.

prune, dried plum

In a marketing makeover, producers are starting to call these dried plums instead of prunes. Whatever you call them, they're sweet and just loaded with dietary fiber, iron, and other nutrients. You can eat them whole, chop them into sauces and stews, or make a compote out of them.

raisins, dried grapes

The common raisins we see on supermarket shelves are usually dried Thompson seedless grapes. Golden raisins are amber in color and somewhat tart--many cooks prefer them over ordinary raisins for baking and cooking. Muscat raisins are dark and very sweet, and they work well in fruitcakes. Currants are about one-quarter the size of ordinary raisins, and are typically used in baked goods. Store raisins in the refrigerator after you open the package.

sour prunes

Look for these in Middle Eastern markets.

sukkary date, royal dates, kurma sukari

Sukkary dates are golden yellow, dry, soft and sweet. They are commonly grown in Saudi Arabia.