Stöckli Dörrex
I face up to my dried fruit trauma
24.9.2019
Translation: machine translated
Juicy orange apricots are currently smiling at you at the weekly market. Plums are fully ripe and the first apples from the region are already available. It's high time to preserve the fruit and put the dehydrator into operation.
I actually have a dried fruit trauma. No class trip without bags of trail mix, dried apricots and dried apple rings. At educational institutes in the 1990s, dried fruit, together with mixed nuts, was regarded as the foundation of the food pyramid. Perhaps the dried fruit lobby also infiltrated the country's teachers' rooms and played a key role in shaping the lunch packs of us 90s kids.
Since I decided on my own nutrition plan, I haven't eaten any more dried fruit. I was sick of them. Gentle drying of fruit is a wonderful method of preserving fruit. I am therefore daring to try dried fruit and face up to my trauma. People live sustainably these days and dried fruit makes sense as it doesn't need to be refrigerated and has a long shelf life.
Looking fear in the face
I was shocked to realise that a lot has changed in the dried fruit segment. Supermarkets are stocking exotic fruits and berries such as mango, pineapple and cranberry in their range. This doesn't seem sustainable to me. Even fruit that is actually native to our country is often imported in dried form. Importing dried apples or apricots from overseas makes little sense to me. Drying fruit myself is the only way to face the wrinkly contents of my nightmares. My fruit of choice:
Fresh Valais apricots. One kilo.
** How to dry fruit **
The oldest and easiest way to dehydrate fruit and vegetables is in the air. You can hang cored apple slices on a string in a dry, warm place. This method takes longer to dry. Mould also forms quickly. It's easier in the oven at around 50 to 70 degrees on a rack. If you stick a wooden spoon in the oven door, all the moisture will be drawn out. Check the fruit from time to time. If a piece dries faster, you can take the finished pieces out.
The easiest way to dry fruit is with a dehydrator. The classic dehydrator is the "Dörrex" from the Swiss company Stöckli. The Dörrex has been the number one dehydrator in Switzerland for decades. "Dörrex" is to dehydrators what "Tempo" is to handkerchiefs or "Pampers" is to nappies: generic names for dehydrators.
One appliance, two buttons, three shelves
I love the simplicity of the "Dörrex". Two rotating knobs, one light, that's it. One knob allows you to adjust the temperature continuously between room temperature and 70° Celsius, the other is a timer that lets the appliance run for up to 12 hours. There are no programmes for every fruit and vegetable, as is often the case with kitchen appliances today. The "Dörrex" takes me seriously as a responsible cook. The "Dörrex" has temperatures and drying times for the most important fruits and vegetables engraved on the lid as the only point of reference. Other manufacturers could take a leaf out of my book.
My appliance has three dehydrator grids stacked on top of each other. The warm air circulates through the grids and dries the apricots. You spread your fruit on the thin grids, put the lid on and set the temperature and time. I recommend adjusting the different levels from time to time: Move the top shelf downwards so that it is directly above the warm fan. After a few hours, you can also check whether thinner or smaller slices of fruit are dry enough.
Infinite applications
My apricots look slightly browner than the ones I bought. Bought dried fruit is treated with sulphur to prevent it from turning brown. The flavour of my apricots is in no way inferior to shop-bought dried fruit. Unfortunately, I still don't like them. The bite reminds me of train journeys in uncomfortable old 2nd class carriages. I give my trauma away in a pretty jar.
Luckily, there are countless other recipes for the "Dörrex" that I will be testing over the next few weeks: drying egg yolks, making beef jerky and making fruit jelly.
If you want more inspiration for the Dörrex, then follow my author profile and don't miss any more articles. Do you have a recipe for the "Dörrex" that I absolutely have to try? I look forward to a comment.
Simon Balissat
Teamleader Editorial
Simon.Balissat@digitecgalaxus.chWhen I flew the family nest over 15 years ago, I suddenly had to cook for myself. But it wasn’t long until this necessity became a virtue. Today, rattling those pots and pans is a fundamental part of my life. I’m a true foodie and devour everything from junk food to star-awarded cuisine. Literally. I eat way too fast.