Dried Apples In The Oven Recipes

OVEN-DRIED APPLES

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients. Heat the oven to its lowest setting, usually between 140 F and 150 F.
• In a nonreactive bowl, mix water and vinegar (or lemon juice ).
• Use a vegetable peeler to remove the skin off the apples.
• Core apples with an apple corer or slice each apple into quarters. Cut off tough center of each piece.
• Using a sharp knife, cut apples into 1/4-inch-thick slices. As you slice apples, drop pieces into prepared acidulated water to prevent browning. Let slices soak while you finish slicing remaining apples.
• Drain apple slices in a colander , letting them sit for 2 to 3 minutes to drain off as much water as possible. If apple pieces are too moist, they will steam instead of dry in oven. To remove excess moisture, place slices on top of a clean kitchen towel and pat dry with a paper towel.
• Place cooling racks inside baking sheets and arrange apples on racks so slices are not touching.
• Place baking sheets in the oven. If you don't have a convection oven, prop oven door open with the handle of a wooden spoon to let steam and moisture escape. Let apples dry until they are a leathery or crispy texture, depending on your preference; this can take anywhere from 6 to 10 hours. If your oven is hotter in some spots than others, turn baking sheets around occasionally so that pieces dry evenly. Once apples have the desired texture, remove from the oven. You won't be completely sure if the apple pieces are fully dehydrated until they have cooled. Let apples cool on trays for 20 minutes.
• After 20 minutes, tear a piece of the fruit in half. There should be no visible moisture along the surface of the break. If the apple is still soft, return to oven for a bit longer. Start with 30 minutes and check for moisture again.

OVEN-DRIED FRUIT

Steps:

• Heat oven to 225 degrees. Line a baking pan with parchment paper (or a Silpat baking mat, if you're drying figs). Arrange fruit, cut sides up, spaced 1/2 to 1 inch apart, on pan. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon sugar over fruit; depending on fruit's tartness, add more sugar.
• Transfer pan to oven; dry until fruit has shriveled, edges have dried, and centers are still juicy; timing will vary according to variety of fruit, ripeness, and size, 1 1/2 to 4 hours. If juices start to run, baste with juices every hour. Transfer pan to a cooling rack; remove from pan while still warm.

DRIED APPLE SLICES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 225 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with nonstick baking mats. Core apples, then slice paper-thin with a mandoline or a very sharp knife.
• Arrange slices in a single layer on prepared sheets. Sprinkle evenly with sugar. Bake, turning twice, until dry and edges begin to curl, about 1 hour, 5 minutes. Let cool completely on sheets on wire racks. Dried apple slices can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 month.

DUTCH-OVEN BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, whisk 3 cups flour, yeast and salt. Stir in water and enough remaining flour to form a moist, shaggy dough. Do not knead. Cover and let rise in a cool place until doubled, 7-8 hours., Preheat oven to 450°; place a Dutch oven with lid onto center rack and heat for at least 30 minutes. Once Dutch oven is heated, turn dough onto a generously floured surface. Using a metal scraper or spatula, quickly shape into a round loaf. Gently place on top of a piece of parchment., Using a sharp knife, make a slash (1/4 in. deep) across top of loaf. Using the parchment, immediately lower bread into heated Dutch oven. Cover; bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until bread is deep golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped, 15-20 minutes longer, partially covering if browning too much. Remove loaf from pan and cool completely on wire rack.