This recipe will make as many trays as you like.* 2.5lbs of Blackberries made about 16 cups of pulp *
Contributed By: Karen Harmsworth
Directions:
1) Put the berries through a berry press to get the seeds and hard pieces out. You are left with liquid pulp. Or wash and seed the fruit and puree it.
2) Put the pulp on the trays. I usually put 4 cups of pulp on medium trays and pre freeze them before putting them into the dryer.
3) Put the trays into the freeze dryer.
4) Pulverize/powder the dried fruit in the blender or food processor.
5) Store in canning jars with a desiccant in for everyday use or put it into mylar bags with and oxygen absorber for long term storage. Do not vacuum seal or you will get a brick that is virtually impossible to break down into a powder due to the natural sugar content.
Voila! Nutritious flavorings that have all the fiber of fresh fruit. I get 16 cups of pulp from 2.5 gallons of blackberries and once powdered, it fits into a 1 quart jar. I've done peaches this same way but the bonus is that you don't have to peel the peaches.
Cycle Time:Â
My times were between 32-38 hours.Â
Rehydration:
Not intended: When I use this in yogurt, I just put a small amount of powder directly into the yogurt and stir it up. It's very concentrated so only a little is needed.ÂÂ
* Large Tray = 8 Cups/tray Medium = 6 Cups/Tray Small = 4 Cups/Tray
Cycle times & rehydration for reference only. Your results may vary.
Comments (1)
correction: 2.5 gallons of berries yields 16 cups of pulp.