How to dry persimmons at home? Why do they turn black?

1. How to dry persimmons

1. Selecting persimmons: Choosing suitable fresh persimmons is a key step, otherwise it will affect the taste of the persimmon cake. It is best to choose fresh persimmons with intact skin without cracks, sufficient water content, and a core. Persimmons without pits should be discarded directly. When drying persimmon cakes, fresh persimmons must have pits. In addition, it is best to choose half-cooked persimmons instead of overripe ones.

2. Peeling: Wash the selected persimmons, peel them with a knife, leaving the calyx and part of the fruit stalk. Don’t throw away the peeled skin, dry it and store it for use when the frost comes out later.

3. Drying persimmons: Use a rough and strong hemp rope to tie the peeled persimmons to the rope from the fruit stalk, and try to keep a distance of about 2 inches between two persimmons. Then hang the tied persimmons in a sunny, warm, dry and well-ventilated place and dry them in the sun for about ten days.

4. Knead the persimmons: When drying, you need to observe the condition of the persimmons. Generally, after about 3-4 days, the surface of the persimmon will begin to turn white and form a skin. When the persimmon flesh feels soft, you can gently knead the persimmon with your hands to soften it fully and remove the astringency. Then after drying for a period of time, when wrinkles appear on the surface of the persimmons, you can knead the persimmons with a little more force to break up the lumps in the flesh. After another two to three days, do the third kneading.

5. Pinch into a pancake shape: When kneading the persimmons for the third time, pinch off the fruit stalk and calyx, squeeze out the persimmon core, and use both hands to squeeze the persimmon into a pancake shape. Then overlap the tops and stems of the two persimmons outwards and place them on a screen window or bamboo basket to continue drying for a while. Continue drying the persimmons until they start to become hard and difficult to pinch with your hands, then you can store them and prepare them for frost.

6. Frost: Put the stored persimmons into a suitable container, put two cakes together, put a layer of persimmon peel on top of a layer of persimmon cake, and then cover the top with another layer of persimmon peel. Then wrap it in plastic wrap, seal it and place it in a cool place. After 4 to 5 days, when the persimmon cake begins to soften, take it out and spread it out in a ventilated and cool place to dry, and persimmon frost will be formed. This step needs to be repeated 4-5 times to make the persimmon frost come out better.

2. Why is it black?

There are two possible reasons for darkening. One possibility is that the persimmon flesh has oxidized and turned black. Because persimmons need to be peeled before drying, the fruit will slowly oxidize and turn black once it comes into contact with the air. After a long period of drying, the degree of oxidation becomes more and more serious, and the skin will turn black. The second is mold and blackening. If the dried persimmons are not dried in a ventilated and dry environment and are not turned over frequently, they will easily become damp and moldy and turn black.