Using dehydrated fruits and vegetables in baked goods

[ElsieD]

I don't know if this is the right place to ask this question, but here goes.  I have dried cranberries and also dried blueberries in my pantry.  I would like to use them (not together) in making some baked goods e.g. scones or muffins.  Do I need to re-hydrate them first and if so, in what and for how long or can I use them in a recipe as they are?  If the latter, do I need to increase the liquid called for in the recipe?

[rotuts]

@ElsieD 

 

this may not be of much help , but :

 

I used to use dried cranberries often

 

I used the dry in cookies , and they retained the chew.

 

I sometimes roughly chopped them first , if i wanted a more even 

 

distribution . ChocolatChip=pecan-charnberry for of cookies

 

and cookies are not scones 

 

I did use them in muffins for a while , dried , chopped

 

and did not change the Rx i9n any way .  but baked them

 

immediately .  they were fine.

 

Im guessing a question would be :  how long do you intend to

 

leave the dried fruit in the batter // dough before  baking ?

 

it sold be i9nterestsing to see the results in bread w a long fermentation

 

but that has to have been looked into .

 

using re hydrated or partially hydrated might be more completaeed 

 

and the cranberries are going to be different in the final item 

 

when rehydrated.    

 

looks like an interesting project.

[Wholemeal Crank]

One way to use them without worrying about hydration or not is to put them in a food processor with a couple of tablespoons of flour or sugar (subtracted from the dry ingredients for the recipe) and then process until the dried fruit is chopped to the degree of fineness that you desire, but still separate places because coated with flour and/or sugar and not just balled up in a paste.  Unless you are using a lot of fruit, you should not need to make much adjustment to the liquid portion of the recipe.   I do this for a quick breads, yeasted breads, cookies, cakes.  My best yet take on 'fruitcake' uses this technique to maximize the fruitiness without the traditional candied citron. 

 

If you want to distinct larger pieces, or intact fruits, then I generally will rehydrate.

[TdeV]

@Wholemeal Crank, pies too?

[ElsieD]

36 minutes ago, Wholemeal Crank said:

One way to use them without worrying about hydration or not is to put them in a food processor with a couple of tablespoons of flour or sugar (subtracted from the dry ingredients for the recipe) and then process until the dried fruit is chopped to the degree of fineness that you desire, but still separate places because coated with flour and/or sugar and not just balled up in a paste.  Unless you are using a lot of fruit, you should not need to make much adjustment to the liquid portion of the recipe.   I do this for a quick breads, yeasted breads, cookies, cakes.  My best yet take on 'fruitcake' uses this technique to maximize the fruitiness without the traditional candied citron. 

 

If you want to distinct larger pieces, or intact fruits, then I generally will rehydrate.

Thank you for responding.  I was hoping someone would.

 

If I wanted, say, to make blueberry scones and I wanted the berries left whole, what kind of liquid would I marinate them it?  Juice?  Water?  And how much liquid?

[blue_dolphin]

42 minutes ago, ElsieD said:

Thank you for responding.  I was hoping someone would.

 

If I wanted, say, to make blueberry scones and I wanted the berries left whole, what kind of liquid would I marinate them it?  Juice?  Water?  And how much liquid?

I know you didn’t ask me but you can always steam dried fruit to soften, in which case, no need to choose a liquid. Just keep checking til you like the texture. 

If I want something quick, I put the fruit in liquid that’s shy of covering and microwave, covered with a silicone lid, for a min or two, stir, let stand covered til I I’m ready for them and drain.  If the recipe calls for a liquid, I might use it to keep the flavor. 
The choice of liquid is up to you. I like water + a squeeze of lemon for most berries and apricots, orange juice for cranberries, half rum/half water for raisins, port for figs…

 

Edited October 16, 2022 by blue_dolphin (log)

[ElsieD]

12 hours ago, blue_dolphin said:

I know you didn’t ask me but you can always steam dried fruit to soften, in which case, no need to choose a liquid. Just keep checking til you like the texture. 

If I want something quick, I put the fruit in liquid that’s shy of covering and microwave, covered with a silicone lid, for a min or two, stir, let stand covered til I I’m ready for them and drain.  If the recipe calls for a liquid, I might use it to keep the flavor. 
The choice of liquid is up to you. I like water + a squeeze of lemon for most berries and apricots, orange juice for cranberries, half rum/half water for raisins, port for figs…

 

 

Thank you, thank you, thank you!  Steaming makes perfect sense.  I will try it.

 

[Wholemeal Crank]

I basically agree with the above. I’m often trying to add flavor at that step, and I might use straight orange juice or lemon juice for a sweet bland fruit (raisins, some blueberries), but when, using a lot of fruit, sometimes that’s gonna get to tart or too strong, and it needs to be a mix of plain water and juice.  
 

I rarely go so far as to steam them, because that’s more trouble than pouring some boiling water over some dried fruit and letting it sit.  But steaming definitely works and you’re less likely to end up with fruit that is almost dissolved the edges that can happen when you pour hot water over it and let it soak.