Dried fruits and nuts are very tasty on their own, and if you eat them together, you get a real healthy treat!

There are many options for making sweets from dried fruits and nuts with your own hands, the proportions and composition can be very different, the only thing remains unchanged: everyone can make such sweets, no matter what culinary skills you have, this delicacy will turn out delicious in any case!

Compound:

glass 250 ml

• 1 cup raisins
• 1 cup dried apricots
• 1 cup pitted prunes
• 1 cup dates
• 1 cup coconut flakes
• 1 cup walnuts
• 1/4 cup flaxseeds

For sprinkling:

• 1 cup walnuts
• 1 cup sesame

How to make candy from dried fruits and nuts with your own hands:

1. We prepare the products.

   

   Ingredients

2. The first thing you need to do is wash the raisins, dried apricots, prunes and dates. Mustard powder helps me a lot to wash them off. Just pour a small amount of dry mustard powder into a cup of dry dried fruits, mix thoroughly, and then pour hot water over them. Drain it several times and fill it with water again until the mustard is washed off. The result is clean, oil-free dried fruits. If they are very dry and hard, soak them in water. When they become soft, drain the water.

   

   Wash dried fruits

3. Now you need to chop the dried fruits in a way convenient for you. I used an immersion blender.

   

   Grind

4. Grind flax seeds in a coffee grinder and add them to the fruit mixture.

   

   Add flax

5. Chop the walnuts into small pieces with a knife. And also add to the mixture.
   

   

   Add nuts

6. Grind coconut flakes in a coffee grinder and add to ours.

   

   Sprinkle coconut flakes

7. Mix everything together thoroughly and begin to form the candies. Using two spoons, scoop out the required amount of the mixture, put it in sesame seeds (I have roasted seeds, raw foodists take unroasted), roll it in the grains, and then roll it into a ball using your palms. In the same way, roll the candies in walnuts crushed in a coffee grinder.
   
   

   

   Forming and rolling the candies

We made such delicious and healthy candies from dried fruits and nuts, my daughter also made two cute hearts



Ready-made candies

I wish you love and bon appetit!





AshataN author of the recipe

Now, when store shelves are filled with all kinds of sweets, people are beginning to wonder whether industrial sweets and cookies are really healthy and whether it is possible to find a natural and tasty replacement for them. There is such a replacement - these are dried fruit candies!

Tasty, healthy, natural... they will become the No. 1 dessert in families with vegetarians, small children, or simply fans of healthy eating.

About the benefits of dried fruits

The fact that dried apricots, prunes, figs and other dried southern fruits carry enormous benefits has been known for a long time. It’s not without reason that kindergartens and sanatoriums invariably serve rich dried fruit compote for lunch. It is believed that they are a storehouse of vitamins and microelements necessary not only for children’s bodies, but also for adults of all ages.

Dried fruits have a beneficial effect on all systems of the human body. They are good for the heart, stomach, skin, and nervous system. Regular consumption strengthens the immune system and helps fight viral diseases.

In addition, dried fruits have almost no contraindications and are recommended by nutritionists for regular consumption.

What dried fruits can you use to make sweets?

For homemade sweets, you can use any dried fruit you wish. It is better to buy dried fruits in bulk at the market. This way, there is less chance of running into products treated with chemicals.

You can choose:

• Dried apricots. It is especially useful for diseases of blood vessels and heart. During pregnancy, dried apricots prevent the development of anemia and a decrease in hemoglobin in the blood. In addition, this product is useful to use to prevent decreased immunity.
• Figs. This dried fruit is especially useful for diseases of the heart and stomach. It gives strength, improves well-being, and also removes harmful substances from the body.
• Raisin. It contains a large amount of iron, useful for anemia, anemia, heart and kidney diseases. It is also useful to eat raisins for problems with the respiratory system. This dried fruit is often used to enrich the body with antioxidants and maintain immunity in the autumn-winter period.
• Prunes. Everyone knows that prunes are recommended for problems with the gastrointestinal tract, but few people know that this fruit has a powerful antimicrobial agent. It also helps to lose weight and improve the health of the entire body as a whole.
• Dates. This is a truly unique product. It is useful for almost everyone and has a beneficial effect on all body systems. Dates are an excellent preventative against diseases of the stomach, heart, kidneys, as well as cancer. Pregnant and lactating women are recommended to eat dates to increase lactation and facilitate childbirth, and this fruit gives men strength and energy.

Recipe for homemade dried fruit sweets

Let's look at the simplest recipe for dried fruit sweets.

Remember that all ingredients are interchangeable, and the recipe itself requires a creative approach, so you can add whatever you want to it.

To make homemade sweets you will need:

• Dried fruits (for example, dried apricots, prunes, raisins) – 300 grams (total weight);
• Nuts (in this version hazelnuts) -100 grams;
• Shredded coconut or cocoa powder for garnish.

Let's start cooking!

That's all. Homemade dried fruit sweets are ready!

From the proposed amount of ingredients you will get about 15 balls with a diameter of 2 centimeters.

When making candies from dried fruits and nuts with your own hands, show your imagination. Replace hazelnuts with walnuts, cashews or pine nuts, or better yet, make a nut mix. You can also try making candies from dried apples, pears, and cherries.

If the mixture turns out too dry and does not roll into a ball, you can dilute it a little with liquid honey. If, on the contrary, the “dough” is too liquid, add almond flour or crushed nuts to it.

Those who like sour things will love dried fruit candies with the addition of lemon or orange zest.

And as a topping you can use not only cocoa or coconut, but also sesame seeds, crushed sunflower seeds, poppy seeds, confectionery topping or grated chocolate.

Dried apples have a pleasant sweet taste. Dried apple slices are juicy, nutritious and compact, making them perfect for snacking. They are convenient to store and take with you to school or work. They contain a huge amount of antioxidants, most of which are found in the peel of the fruit.

Dried apples are rich in K, potassium, iron, copper, organic acids, tannins and pectin. Apple pectin normalizes redox processes and improves intestinal motility.

Dried apples can be eaten as an independent dish or added to tea and porridge.

In cooking, dried apples are used to prepare compotes, fruit salads, jellies and mousses. They go well with unsalted nuts and raisins - a good mixture to sprinkle on yogurt or oatmeal for breakfast. Oven-dried apples paired with dried cranberries plus a pinch of cinnamon are an incredible seasoning for marinating pork and chicken breasts.

How to dry apples?

Rinse the apples in cold water and air dry the fruits. Peel clean apples from the core, then cut them into slices or circles and dip them in salted water for a few minutes (dilute 20 grams of salt in 1 liter of water), this will keep the pulp light in color.

• In the sun. Place the sliced ​​apples evenly on trays and turn them over daily. Depending on weather conditions, the drying process takes 3-6 days.
• In the oven. Place the apples on a baking sheet and place in the oven. To ensure even drying, apples need to be shaken from time to time. The ideal temperature for drying is 75-80 °C, and the whole process takes about 6-8 hours.

When dried properly, dried apples become light cream in color and are soft and elastic to the touch. From 10 kg of fresh apples, on average, about 1-1.5 kg of dried apples are obtained.

Dried apple compote

Ingredients:

• 2 liters of water,
• 200 g sugar,
• 340 g dried apples,
• carnation,
• Melissa,
• lemon or citric acid (pinch)

How to cook?

First, wash the apples thoroughly and sort them.

Boil water and add sugar, stir until the sugar is completely dissolved in the water, then add dried apples to this syrup. Don't forget that the water must boil first.

Dried apples in this syrup should be boiled for about 35 minutes over low heat, then add cloves and lemon balm and cook for about 10 minutes. Cool and add lemon.

Healthy handmade sweets have been a hit in recent years. They are served in fashionable cafes, given to each other on holidays, and advocates of the strictest diets feast on them. Homemade sweets from dried fruits and nuts will fit perfectly into the PP (proper nutrition) system and diversify the dietary or vegetarian menu.

To prepare healthy sweets, a wide variety of ingredients are used: dried fruits, dried fruits, nuts, seeds, candied fruits, honey. The recipe provides enormous possibilities for imagination.

Several variants:

• figs, dried apricots, peanuts;
• prunes, sunflower seeds, candied papaya and mango;
• raisins, dried apricots, almonds, vanilla extract;
• dried apricots, prunes, hazelnuts;
• dried orange, almonds, dogwood.

• The ingredients are added in approximately equal quantities; options are possible in accordance with taste preferences.
• For a harmonious taste, one of the ingredients should be slightly sour: dried apples, cherries or cranberries, etc. Citruses can be added dried or fresh, along with the peel.
• Nuts and seeds must be dried in the oven or in a frying pan. There is no need to fry, just heat until the first smell and cool.

It is better to buy walnuts in shell and shell them before cooking, as they quickly oxidize when exposed to light and begin to taste bitter.

• Soak very hard or overdried dried fruits in warm water, drain it and dry the products on a towel.
• All components are ground in a meat grinder or blender into a dense, sticky mass.
• You need to try the preparation to check how harmonious the mixture is. The taste can always be balanced by adding a pinch of salt to a fatty paste, lemon juice to a cloying one, honey to a thick paste, and so on.
• With slightly moistened hands, the resulting paste is used to form candies in the shape of a truffle or a ball.
• The candies are rolled in poppy seeds, cocoa, sesame seeds, ground nuts or coconut flakes so that they do not stick together and do not get your hands dirty. In addition, after decoration, the dessert takes on a more attractive appearance.
• You can decorate the top of the candy by pressing a nut into it. You can also make a surprise filling from a whole nut.
• Ready-made candies should be cooled until they become solid before serving. You can make this in the freezer if the recipe does not include fresh fruit or cottage cheese. Dessert without liquid will not freeze.
• Shelf life at temperatures from 0 ºС to 4 ºС is usually no more than a week. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tOoKldusA0

With added dates

The special ingredient is dates. Their rich and slightly sugary taste allows you to create exquisite duets of flavors and does not require variety in the composition of the dessert.

Successful companion ingredients:

• banana (dried or fresh), added 1:1;
• sunflower seed;
• peanut;
• orange and almond.

Homemade sweets with dates will be very sticky. It is better to roll them in chopped nuts, sesame seeds or coconut flakes. Cocoa powder will be absorbed very quickly and the dessert will lose its appearance. You can add a chocolate touch by adding cocoa inside or rolling the candies in grated dark chocolate.

How to make a chocolate treat

Chocolate-coated chocolates have a completely professional look.

To prepare, you will need high-quality chocolate, no matter white, dark or milk.

1. Place each candy on a toothpick.
2. Cool 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
3. Melt the chocolate over a water bath in a deep bowl. You can add a little butter to make the glaze softer.
4. Dip each piece into chocolate.
5. Wait for the excess to drain.
6. Insert a toothpick into the foam base to allow the icing to set while floating.
7. Cool the candies again in the refrigerator.
8. Remove toothpicks before serving. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Z_NO8xDbQw

Cooking with honey

Honey not only adds sweetness and flavor to candies, but also serves as a binder in recipes that contain lots of nuts and seeds.

If you are allergic to honey, you can soften the consistency of the paste with maple or rosehip syrup instead of liquid honey.

It is easy to thicken a mixture that is too soft by adding any dried fruits or nuts if the honey is not thick enough.

Example recipe with honey:

• walnuts – 150 g;
• coconut flakes – 50 g;
• dates – 50 g;
• thick honey – 100 g;
• cocoa powder – 50 g;
• salt – 5 g.

For decoration, it is better to use coconut shavings.

PP candies made from dried fruits and nuts

Adherents of proper nutrition will prefer to make natural sweets less sweet and fatty. To do this, a neutral-tasting binder rich in protein and amino acids – boiled chickpeas – is added to the mixture. This is a variety of peas, popular in the East and already appreciated in our cuisine.

For 250 g of boiled chickpeas:

• peanuts - 50 g;
• hazelnuts – 100 g;
• dark chocolate – 200 g;
• vanilla extract.

It is suggested to use powdered stevia as a sweetener in this recipe. This is another healthy product, with almost zero calories and a rich phytochemical composition.

With oat flakes

Oddly enough, one of the most delicate and delicious types of candies is made from simple oatmeal. It doesn't even need to be boiled.

For 200 g of dry Hercules:

• 200 g walnuts;
• 200 g of any sweet dried fruits: raisins, dates, dried apricots;
• 100 g honey;
• 10 g cinnamon;
• 30 g odorless vegetable oil.

You can use a little more cinnamon for decoration.

1. Grind the oatmeal into coarse flour.
2. Mix the rest of the ingredients with a blender and mix the mixture thoroughly.
3. Form candies and roll them in cinnamon.

As an option, you can make rectangular sweets: smooth the sweet mass on the bottom of a greased mold, cool in the freezer and cut into portioned diamonds.

Recipe for children

Sweets with cottage cheese are soft, not at all cloying, and inside there is a pleasant surprise - a whole nut or grape. This is the perfect treat for little ones with a sweet tooth.

You will need:

• 100 g cottage cheese;
• 50 g walnuts;
• 100 g prunes;
• 100 g figs;
• 100 g raisins;
• half a lemon with peel.

In addition, you need to prepare whole roasted nuts or seedless grapes according to the amount of candy.

1. All components, except cottage cheese, are crushed and combined into a thick sticky mass. Wide cakes are molded from it, 1.5 times wider in size than candy.
2. The cottage cheese should also be thick and sticky; if it is too dry, you can add a little yogurt or a fresh banana.
3. Using two teaspoons, form a ball of cottage cheese.
4. Press the nut inside.
5. Place the curd filling on a dried fruit cake, carefully roll it up and form into a ball.
6. Roll in sesame seeds, ground corn flakes or cocoa.
7. Refrigerate until completely set and serve. It is not recommended to store sweets with cottage cheese.

Useful properties and contraindications of dessert

A lot of scientific and popular literature has been written about the benefits of dried fruits and nuts. There is no point in analyzing in detail the content of vitamins, healthy fats and acids in a culinary article, especially since the content of one or another product in each candy is not high.

However, what comes to mind is the vitamin paste of Academician Amosov, developed by him for the recovery of patients in the postoperative period. It is still used in this capacity, and is also recommended for healthy people to maintain immunity.

Compound:

• black and white raisins;
• dried apricots;
• figs;
• prunes;
• walnuts;
• natural honey;
• lemon with peel.

All ingredients are taken in 1:1 proportions (one fresh lemon per three kilograms of paste), crushed and used daily, one spoon three times a day before meals. By the way, you can also form round candies from it.

This nut-fruit mixture activates general and local immunity, has an antioxidant effect, restores the nervous and digestive systems, and has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the heart and other organs.

Despite the fact that the fruits are used in dried and dried form, they still contain enough useful substances to create a therapeutic effect when used regularly.

Another undoubted advantage of natural sweets is the absence of flavor enhancers and other food chemicals. There will never be a euphoric desire to eat a kilogram of such sweets at once; even the biggest sweet tooth will be able to control themselves.

Despite all the positive qualities, sweets made from dried fruits and nuts have a number of contraindications for use:

• The calorie content of one candy, on average, is more than 30 kcal, so people suffering from excess weight should eat this dessert, like any other, in limited quantities.
• High glucose levels can be dangerous for people with diabetes.
• Nuts, dried fruits and honey can be strong allergens, so allergy sufferers, pregnant women, nursing mothers and children under three years of age can eat these products within a reasonable daily allowance.
• The most serious contraindication relates to various diseases of the digestive system: various ulcers, gastritis, cholelithiasis and urolithiasis.

It remains to add that the process of making homemade sweets itself brings a lot of pleasure. It can become a wonderful pre-holiday tradition or a fun attraction for a family, children's or adult party.