How to Dehydrate Delicious Ambrosia Apples in the Oven
Never Run Out of Ambrosia Apples!
Every summer we get to the point where we start to run out of fresh, local Ambrosia apples here in BC. Don’t panic! There are a few ways to preserve them so that you’re never without.
A little while ago, we explained how to freeze Ambrosia apples in our blog. However, that doesn’t help much if you love to snack on Ambrosia apples every day or you want a snack on the go.
Dehydrated apples are the solution! Kids love them and you don’t need a fancy dehydrator to make them either.
Here’s your step by step guide to dehydrating apples in the oven.
- Wash and core your Ambrosia apples
- Slice apple rings about 1/4″ thick – if you do it any thinner, you’ll end up with crispy chips Note: Some recipes call for a lemon juice bath but because Ambrosia apples are naturally slow to brown, this is not a necessary step and by skipping it, you’ll preserve the pure, sweet flavour of Ambrosia.
- Place Ambrosia apple rings on a parchment-paper-lined cookie sheet. Do not overlap your apples or they’ll stick together.
- Put them into a 200°F oven and bake for 1 hour.
- Take the apples out and flip them over. Bake for 1 more hour.
- Dehydrated apples range from chewy to crispy. If you like the consistency of them after the second hour, remove them and place the Ambrosia apple rings on a cooling rack. If you want them a bit crispier, put them back in the oven but be careful they don’t burn.
- Once cooled, put them in a sealed container and store them in a cool, dark spot.
Dehydrated apples will keep for up to six months.
So, do a big batch now and you’ll be good right up until harvest time in the fall! You can also play around with different flavours by sprinkling spices (like ginger, cayenne, cinnamon, or turmeric) on the apples before you put them in the oven.
And, don’t forget, if you’ve got a hankering for sinking your teeth into a big, fresh, juicy Ambrosia apple – check your grocery store for imported apples from Chile or New Zealand.
Looking for more ways to preserve your Ambrosia apples? Check out our blog on making Ambrosia Apple Fruit Leather or our recipe for Cinnamon Apple Chips.