Fruit how to

Handling fruit is easy when you know how to and here are a few tips.

Freeze bananas: If you have too many bananas or some are becoming over-ripe, freeze them in their skins or peeled. Frozen fruit is not as nice to eat, use them for cooking pies, tarts, cakes, banana bread, ice cream, milkshakes and smoothies. If frozen in their skins, just bake them still in them for 30-40 minutes, cut the skin open and sprinkle some brown sugar and chopped toasted nuts, serve with whipped cream.

A glut of fruit: some ideas to buy at its best and eat when you want.

• Wash, halve, discard the pit, weigh and cook with the same measure of sugar; chop while the fruit cooks if you wish. Can.
• Wash, discard the pit, boil in a light syrup. Can.
• Wash, discard the pit, weigh, rub with lemon juice to prevent discoloration and puree with the same measure of confectioner's sugar - sieve if your objective is the finest coulis. Serve this sauce with ice cream and other desserts.
• Pour any excess fruit sauce into your ice cream maker for the most delicious and healthy fruit sorbet.
• Wash, discard the pit, cover with a syrup prepared with 1 1/4 cups sugar for every 2 cups water (300 g sugar for every 500 ml water). Freeze. Frozen this way, fruit will last 12 months.

Use this ideas with apricots or peaches for guaranteed results. Try them with prunes or cherries for a surprising bout of flavor. Try these with strawberries, raspberries, black currants or any of the soft summer fruit... heaven! This tips can be applied to all sort of fruit -passion fruit, mango, lychees. Be adventurous and dare to experiment.

Peaches: They will keep in the fridge, in the vegetable draw, for a few days; let the ones with firm flesh out until soft and use the very ripe in the day.

Quick frozen strawberries: Wash, discard stems, and extend on foil. Cover with sugar and freeze. Transfer to a bag once frozen. They will keep for 12 month.

Strawberries, healthy and flavorful: wash, discard stems, pour over lemon or orange juice and sprinkle sugar generously. Refrigerate for 2 hour. Serve.

Insipid strawberries? then: Sprinke with a little ground nutmeg or cinnamon. Turn them into a different kind of salad with basil and balsamic vinegar.

Hydrate fruit fast: Forgot to soak the fruit for your recipe? It is easy to hydrate raisins, dried apricots or prunes. It can be done in minutes. Place the fruit in a container suitable for the microwave, cover with water and microwave on high. About 2 minutes will do for raisins, dried figs or apricots may need 7-8 minutes - it will depend on the quantity, size and how dry they are. Don't use this method if your prunes still have the pit, it could explode.