Freeze Dried Plum Bites

Step 1

Wash the plums to remove any dirt, sap, and debris. Remove any stems or leaves. Cut the plums in half and remove the pits. Discard the pits (or save to plant more plum trees).

Step 2

Put the pitted plums in the food processor and add the honey. Lock the lid on and process until soupy. It won't be perfectly blended, bits of the skins will still be visible, but you shouldn't have any chunks of fruit remaining.

Step 3

Pour the plum puree into your ice cube trays. If you are using standard ice cube trays, do not fill all the way (this will add time to the drying cycle in the freeze dryer). Place filled trays in the freezer until puree is solid.

Step 4

Line freeze dryer trays with parchment paper or reusable liners. Place pre-frozen cubes on the lined trays, not quite touching one another. Put trays in the freeze dryer and run on the standard cycle. If drying full-size cubes, add about 5-7 hours to the dry cycle.

Step 5

When cycle is complete, check to be sure the cubes are dried all the way through (not chewy, not cool to the touch). Store in an airtight container (preferably with an oxygen absorber for long-term storage) at room temperature and out of direct light.