Asia is considered the homeland of plum. In Europe began to cultivate it only in the 12th century. Plum fruits gentle, with a pleasant flavor, possess the whole set of acids and vitamins, useful to human health. However fresh they are stored absolutely not for long. But well keep the valuable qualities when drying and are very widely used in a dried look. It is only necessary to learn to dry them correctly.
Instruction
1. For drying (receiving prunes) the grade "Hungarian" is the most suitable. Sort assembled discharges. Use only ripe, not bruise fruits. Carefully wash out them and destem. Large and small plums are processed separately.
2. The selected fruits are exposed to thermal treatment. For a start small experiment. Take several plums and lower in the boiling soda solution (5 - 8 g by 1 liter of water) for 15 - 20 seconds. When processing on their surface there shouldn't be large cracks or slip a thin skin. If it occurs, it is necessary to reduce concentration of soda or to reduce their time of stay in soda solution. If solution strength and time of immersion are chosen correctly, then on a surface of plums slightly noticeable network of cracks will appear.
3. Now it is possible to process all prepared discharges. Omit them in soda solution, and then at once in cold water. When plums cool down, well wash out them to wash away the wax coating delaying moisture evaporation.
4. Spread out the dried fruits on trays, lattices or sets in one layer and expose on a blaze of the sun. Periodically overturn. In the sun they have to lie not less than 5 days.
5. Transfer trays with plums to the shaded, well aired place. Finally dry in a shadow 3-4 more days.
6. Examine the dried-up fruits, remove not dried up. Put in the boxes laid by paper and you keep dry.
7. It is possible to dry plums also in an oven or a special drying cabinet. Large plums with well separated stone can be dried halves. The whole plums are blanched as it was told above, and dried on air. Plums which you plan to dry halves don't demand processing in soda solution.
8. Spread out plums in one layer a cut up. You dry 3-4 hours at a temperature of 45 degrees. Cool on air within 4-5 hours. Again 3–4 hours in an oven at a temperature of 60 degrees and 4-5 hours on air. And 3-4 more hours at a temperature of 75-80 degrees. Periodically examine and mix fruits on trays.