Dried cranberries: cooking recipes, benefits, harms

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-02 16:12

To prepare a variety of dishes, many housewives use dried cranberries. However, not everyone knows how to make such a blank at home. Let's consider this issue in more detail.

What is this product

Dried cranberries are the fruits of a creeping plant prepared using a special technology. Such a delicacy is used not only as a light snack, but also as a component of sauces, pastries, various drinks.

You can cook dried cranberries at home without much difficulty. The main thing is to follow the technology and choose the right fruits. It is worth considering that the finished product, despite the fact that it has a number of useful properties, may be contraindicated in certain pathologies.

Dried cranberry recipe: basic rules

Consider the most common way to cook the product - in the oven. To make dried cranberries at home, you must follow a number of rules:

1. You should choose only ripe fruits without damage and without rot. They should be bright and juicy.
2. Before cooking, it is recommended to rinse the berries under running water, removingdirt and debris.
3. The temperature in the oven during drying should not exceed 60 ˚С.

How to cook

Now it's worth listing the cooking steps:

1. Sugar syrup should be prepared. To do this, pour 0.5 liters of clean water into the container, heat it and add 2 cups of white sugar. The contents must be brought to a boil, stirring constantly. Otherwise the sugar will stick to the bottom of the bowl and may burn.
2. 1 kg of prepared cranberries should be poured with ready-made sugar syrup and put on the stove. You need to cook the fruits at the minimum heating temperature until they start to burst.
3. The container should be removed from the fire and left to cool completely. In conclusion, cranberries should be put on a baking sheet, previously covered with parchment.
4. The baking sheet must be placed in a preheated oven. It is recommended to simmer cranberries for 4-5 hours.
5. After the specified time, it is necessary to replace the parchment paper and continue languishing. After 4-5 hours, the dried stick will be ready.

By the way, the syrup that is formed as a result of boiling berries should not be poured out. It can be used to soak cakes.

Use of special equipment

Probably, many housewives have a dryer for vegetables, fruits and berries. It can also be used to make dried cranberries. In the dryer, this process is much faster and takes less free time.mistresses.

To begin with, it is recommended to sprinkle cranberries with sugar and lightly crush, but do not grind. In this form, the fruits should be left for the whole night or for 8 hours. After the specified time, the syrup is drained from the berries, and the cranberries are sent to the dryer. It takes no more than 2 hours to cook.

As you can see, the dried cranberry recipe doesn't cost much. It remains to consider the benefits and harms of such a product.

What is the use of

The properties of dried cranberries are determined by its unique composition. Such a product contains many vitamins, including B₁, B₂, B₅, B 6_{, PP, K, E, C, and choline. After heat treatment, all the beneficial substances in the fruits can be preserved by benzoic acid. This is a fairly strong antioxidant that can protect body cells from harmful radicals. In addition, it prevents aging.}

The benefits of dried cranberries are known to many healers. Thanks to potassium, as well as vitamin C, regular use of this product helps to avoid the development of infectious and colds. In addition, PP promotes normal blood circulation, which prevents the formation of blood clots, varicose veins and plaques.

With regular use of cranberries, mental activity improves. The beneficial components that make up the berries normalize blood clotting. It is worth noting that the product can improve the condition of nails, hair and skin.

There is also good news for the strong half of humanity. Regular usecranberry improves potency due to its enzymes.

Can it hurt

Speaking about the benefits of dried cranberries, it is worth mentioning the possible dangers of the product. First of all, it lies in the fact that the composition of the fruit includes potent components. If you use them in excess, you can harm your body. Therefore, you need to remember the golden rule: everything is good in moderation.

Of course, do not forget about contraindications. Dried cranberries should be discarded at:

• individual intolerance to any component;
• gastritis with a high content of hydrochloric acid in gastric juice;
• an ulcer in the duodenum or stomach;
• certain liver diseases;
• lactation.

It is worth noting that this product is not recommended for children under 3 years old. To avoid unpleasant consequences, you should consult a doctor before eating dried cranberries.

Combination with other products

Dried fruits can be served separately from other products, for tea, for example. However, the taste of berries is best revealed in combination with rice and muesli. Also, the product can be added to pastries, fruit salads and desserts. Ideally dried cranberries are combined with couscous, buckwheat. It can be added to cottage cheese and vegetable casseroles. A very unusual taste acquires meat, poured with cranberry sauce.

How to store properly

Like any dried fruit, dried cranberries should be stored in a dry, dark place whereair temperature does not exceed +25 ˚С. Subject to all the rules, the product is able to retain its beneficial properties for 24 months.