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Melon for the winter - recipes are not limited to the usual jam and compote. In the cold period, it is possible to buy this berry in supermarkets, but its taste will not be as rich. In the melon season you should try one of the recipes that will help keep her taste and aroma. Blanks can be served as a dessert or added to baked goods.
Dried Melon
The easiest way to make a melon for the winter is to dry it. The process does not use sugar and other additives, so the dish is perfect for those who adhere to a healthy lifestyle. This low-calorie dessert can be taken with you as a snack or combined with other dishes.
In this winter melon recipe, only this berry is needed. It is more convenient to prepare it for drying, but you can simply decompose at room temperature under the sun.
- Whole melon peel peels. Then it is necessary to cut it into two parts and remove the core with stones.
- Then it is cut into large slices and spread for drying so that they do not touch each other.
- In drying, set the temperature to about 60 ᴼC.Production time depends on the technical characteristics of the apparatus, as well as on the richness of the fruit and the thickness of the slices. On average, the process can take from 7 to 20 hours, and in natural conditions - up to several days. The pieces will be ready when they are reduced in size and will not stick to your hands.
Prepared dried melon is stored in a dry, dark place. You can also pack it in vacuum bags.
Canned
melon canned for the winter retains all its taste. If it is properly cooked, it will resemble a pineapple. For a medium melon weighing 2 kg you will need a glass of sugar, a liter of water and some citric acid.
- First of all, you need to prepare a syrup, because it is used cold. Water is combined with sugar, brought to a boil and kept on low heat for 10 minutes. At the end add citric acid.
- Next, you need to clean the melon, cut it into small pieces and lay out on the banks. They must first be sterilized in boiling water.
- Melon slices are poured with syrup, jars are covered with lids and pasteurized. Then they need to be taken out, put on the towel with the lids down and let the preservation cool.
Melon, pickled for the winter, is soaked with sugar syrup and remains juicy. In winter, it goes well with honey and cinnamon. It is added to cottage cheese casseroles, served as a filling for pancakes.
Melon Paste
One of the unusual melon recipes for the winter is Pastila. Many housewives unfairly forget about this sweetness, but it can become not only an everyday dessert, but also a real decoration of the festive table. It resembles candy and has a dense, viscous consistency.
Per 1 kg of melon pulp will need about 2 glasses of water and 1 cup of sugar. Pastila will be more juicy and sweet, if you replace sugar with liquid honey.
- For the winter melon billet recipe for the winter, you should choose a juicy ripe berry that will emit a rich aroma. It must be cleaned, remove the bones and cut into small cubes.
- All ingredients are mixed in a saucepan and put on low heat. Content must be constantly stirred. Paste dough is considered ready when it acquires a homogeneous soft consistency.
- Next, the mixture is crushed and laid out in drying. The thickness of the layer should not exceed 0.5 cm, otherwise the puree will not dry well and will not be able to be stored for a long time. Pastille must be dried at a high temperature for 4 hours, and then the same at an average power.
- When the pastille dries, but will still be warm, it must be removed from the dryer and made rolls from it. Next, each of them is cut into small portions.
Pastilles stored in the refrigerator, while it is usable until the next harvest. In order to preserve its taste and not dry, each roll must be tightly wrapped with cling film.
Even if there are no dryers on the farm, the options of what to prepare from the melon for the winter do not become less. Instead of this apparatus, you can use the oven. In this case, mash for pastes spread with a thin layer on parchment paper, after having been lubricated with vegetable oil.
Melon is a versatile delicacy that is useful both raw and as a base for winter harvesting. There are many recipes from a melon step by step with a photo, each of which will return the summer scent in the cold season. Canned or pickled melon is perfect for hearty winter baking, filling for cakes, pies or pancakes.
In dried form, it can be served with nuts and honey, as well as decorating desserts with it. Pastila is an unusual sweetness that is not even sold in all supermarkets. In any case, it is worth taking care of in summer and preserving the melon taste and aroma for the whole year.
