Fruit
Sun-Dried KiwiDrying Time, Storage and How to Eat It
Dried kiwi has a deeper flavor, with its sweetness and tartness intensely concentrated.
Most store-bought dried kiwi is candied in sugar before drying, but sun-dried kiwi keeps the fruit’s natural sweet-tartness. Kiwis are juicy and slow to dry, so the most important tip is to pick a run of sunny days.
| Drying time | Storage | |
|---|---|---|
| Dry | 2–4 days | 3 weeks at room temperature (fridge in humid summer) |
| Semi-dried | Half a day–1 day | 5 days in the fridge |
Drying times assume drying during the day in sunny weather and bringing them in at night.
How to dry kiwi
- Choose: Overripe, soft kiwis fall apart when cut and dry poorly. Pick ones that are still a little firm.
- Peel and slice: Peel and slice into rounds about 1 cm (⅜ in) thick. The thinner the slices, the faster they dry and the lower the risk of mold.
- Lay out and dry: Spread on a basket without overlapping, somewhere sunny and breezy. The juice makes them stick to the basket, so turn them once or twice a day. Bring them in by evening.
Where and when to dry is covered in How to Dry Vegetables, and tools in Tools for Drying Vegetables.
When it’s done
Dry (2–4 days)
It’s done when the slices have shrunk a good deal, turned from deep green to brownish, and no juice seeps out when pressed. The area around the core dries last, so check there.
Semi-dried (half a day–1 day)
The surface is dry but the inside is still moist. They become rich and chewy-sweet, good as a snack. They’re still juicy, so keep them in the fridge and eat them soon.
Day by day
Before drying
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Storage
- Dry: Put completely dry slices in a bag or airtight container with a desiccant, and keep somewhere cool and out of direct sun for about 3 weeks. In humid summer weather, keep them in the fridge.
- Semi-dried: Keep in a bag in the fridge and eat within about 5 days.
- Frozen: Both dry and semi-dried can be frozen for 1–2 months.
Fruit is sugary and molds easily if not dried enough. Fuzzy white or green growth, black spots, or a sour, fermented smell mean it should be thrown away. More in How to Store Dried Vegetables.
How to eat it
- As is: As a snack, or with drinks. Good with cheese and nuts too.
- With yogurt and granola: Leave it in yogurt overnight, and it softens up nicely.
- In baking: Chop and mix into pound cake, muffin or bread dough.
- In tea: Float a slice or two in black tea.
