Orange you glad I didn't say "banana"?

December 18, 2007 9:54 AM

What can I do with all of this dried fruit?

I made a couple of recipes that call for small amounts of all kinds of dried fruit, and now I have too much left over. Help me use it up and not have to throw it out! I love trail mix and granola. I am not a great or creative chef at all and could use directions, even for something super-basic. I have a Trader Joe's nearby.

What I have: cranberries (a lot!), blueberries, cherries (I hate these and will probably ditch them), apricots, figs, and golden raisins. The figs and apricots are kind of sticky. Side question: Can I dry them out in the oven somehow, then mix them into trail mix?

posted by theredpen to Food & Drink (26 answers total)

Forgive me the obvious, but fruitcake.
posted by Durin's Bane at 9:58 AM on December 18, 2007

Mix them with some couscous and a moroccan spice mix.
Make oatmeal cookies and use the mix instead of just plain raisins.
posted by Green Eyed Monster at 10:08 AM on December 18, 2007

Dried fruit keeps well, and makes an excellent addition to oatmeal and other hot cereals. Chop up the larger ones, add any mixture you find appetizing into the water while it boils, and then add the cereal.

Dried cranberries work well in salads. You could try them with spinach, feta and walnuts with a balsamic vinegrette. You could also try figs or apricots in a similar sort of salad, or even just in a basic lettuce, carrots and the like.
posted by matematichica at 10:14 AM on December 18, 2007

TRy alton Brown overnight oatmeal

posted by chickaboo at 10:14 AM on December 18, 2007

Homemade Fig Newton recipe

Dried Blueberry Scone recipe

Sausage, Apple and Dried Cranberry Stuffing recipe
posted by briank at 10:15 AM on December 18, 2007

You can melt some chocolate and pour it over the fruit (on top of a strip of waxed paper). Refrigerate, then break into chunks. Great chocolate bark!
posted by frosty_hut at 10:18 AM on December 18, 2007 [1 favorite]

Also Alton Brown's fruit compote.
posted by Gungho at 10:31 AM on December 18, 2007

I would totally pay for shipping if you don't want those dried cherries.
posted by headspace at 10:36 AM on December 18, 2007

Dried fruit pie.

You can also do what frosty_hut says, but first soak the fruit in brandy. I give dried fruit and homemade cookies away as gifts.

I'm not sure why you would throw it out- isn't the point of drying fruit that you can keep it for months?
posted by oneirodynia at 10:38 AM on December 18, 2007

Don't throw out the dried cherries unless they're really godawful. You can probably still salvage them by putting them into some sort of recipe. I seem to recall that they go well with dark chocolate. Maybe hide them into brownies?
posted by Deathalicious at 10:46 AM on December 18, 2007

How about a Christmas stollen? My mom makes stollen every year for Christmas and always uses quite a lot of dried fruit - 4-6 plastic canisters for each batch...
posted by odi.et.amo at 11:06 AM on December 18, 2007

Best answer: I've been wanting to try making these cookies ever since I saw the recipe. And the photos. It looks like you could get great mileage out of your dried fruit that way.

Also, you could do a contemporary take on tsimmes, a Jewish dish with sweet potatoes and dried fruit in an orange-honey glaze. MeMail me if you want a recipe.

I bet some of the fruit would be delicious in a wild rice pilaf. Lots of options here.
posted by bassjump at 11:11 AM on December 18, 2007

Response by poster: I might not have to throw it out -- I know it lasts, but it's still moist and I was worried it might mold or otherwise grossify if left forever. I am a major procrastinator. And I just detest cherries in all shapes and forms. But you're right, Deathalicious, hiding them in brownies and inflicting them on others just makes me look thoughtful.

headspace -- are dried cherries that rare? I wish you lived closer; I would just give them to you.

Bonus points to the Alton Brown fruitcake and oatmeal suggestions from Durin's Bane and chickaboo -- those were the recipes I started out with! Funny. They were both good, BTW. I think I may keep throwing different things into the oatmeal, among some of these other ideas.

Thank you all so far.
posted by theredpen at 11:20 AM on December 18, 2007

Soak in brandy or decent vodka; decant into nice bottles, give as gifts. (This works with fresh fruit, and I don't see why it wouldn't work with dried fruit - might have to soak for longer or shorter, though.)
posted by rtha at 11:29 AM on December 18, 2007

I have no recipe, but -- muesli. Add oats, and handfuls of rye and bran and any other similar grain, maybe some almonds. I have bags of almost all of those fruits just for muesli. The powdery bits in the grain will coat and de-stick the sticky stuff. It keeps well, and it's a good breakfast with milk, and a good yoghourt topping.
posted by kmennie at 11:58 AM on December 18, 2007

Just throw it in the freezer until you want to eat it. Freezers are good for keeping stuff from going bad.
posted by Sukiari at 12:41 PM on December 18, 2007

I'll second the fuitcake, but with my family's twist: 'Explosive' fruitcake. saok the fruit in 151 or dark rum for a week or so.
posted by Fferret at 12:43 PM on December 18, 2007

All those answers and no love for muffins? I use dried fruits of all sorts in muffins.
posted by Thorzdad at 12:50 PM on December 18, 2007

Best answer: Alton Brown also makes protein bars out of dried fruits.
posted by sjuhawk31 at 1:34 PM on December 18, 2007

Oh, good call with the suggestion for muffins. And scones! Scones are great with dried fruit, and even better with dried fruit and white chocolate and/or pecans or walnuts.
posted by bassjump at 1:44 PM on December 18, 2007

Don't throw it out! Feed the birds!
posted by essexjan at 2:27 PM on December 18, 2007

I throw dried fruit into rice and couscous dishes; I put it in oatmeal, barley, Cream of Wheat, and hot cereals; I throw it in with Cheerios, Chex, bran flakes, Grape Nuts, and cold cereals, I eat it hand-to-mouth; I put it all manner of muffins and cookies; I boil them with water or simple syrup to make flavored water or simple syrup, which can be used in a variety of things (tea, candy, anything that needs a bit of flavor without the chewiness of the fruit itself. Dried fruits go so well with so many things. Just start adding it to almost anything and you'll see how easy it is to punch up those tired, old recipes.
posted by HotPatatta at 3:02 PM on December 18, 2007

If you want to use the dried fruits but find them too tough and chewy for what you're making, just let them soak in warm water for bit to plump and soften them.
posted by HotPatatta at 3:04 PM on December 18, 2007

I use dried fruit on my salads. Especially cranberries, but I could imagine some of the other fruit you are talking about on it. Going to a holiday party? Bring a salad with the dried fruit on it. That will rid you of some of it.
posted by 6:1 at 3:59 PM on December 18, 2007

It's not that they're rare, they're expensive. I can afford shipping, but not dried cherries. Heh.
posted by headspace at 8:14 PM on December 18, 2007

Breakfast. Mix fruit of your choice with nuts, add raw oats. Eat with yogurt and some fresh sliced banana. Best breakfast ever.
posted by SassHat at 8:29 PM on December 18, 2007