How To Freeze Dry Apple Pie Filling
Jul 6, 2023
Corn is one of the most versatile ingredients on the planet. It’s inexpensive, satisfying, and fulfilling. No wonder it’s common in many cuisines and a staple in many countries. If you turn it into freeze-dried corn powder, it becomes more adaptable to different uses.
Freeze-dried corn powder is made from corn that underwent the freeze-drying process. Before, this process was only available in large food processing plants. Thankfully, Harvest Right has made it possible for homeowners to have a freeze dryer of their own.
What the machine does is freeze all the moisture present in the food. Then it sublimates moisture in a low-pressure chamber. It turns ice into water vapor without passing through the liquid phase.
The result is an airy, porous, dry, crunchy corn material you can easily grind into corn powder.
The first is to get the best corn possible. You see two types of corn when you go to the grocery or farmer’s market. One is with husks, and one without. Some prefer the husks because it helps preserve the kernels. The other version is with the cobs with husks removed.
It’s okay to work with either one. Working with an ear of huskless corn is more convenient because you have less cleaning to do. You can also see immediately if the corn is good or not. The ones with husks can mean they’re recently harvested or might hide blemishes. Don’t be shy to open the husk and inspect the corn before buying.
Whatever you choose, clean the corn and remove all of the silk or hair. A soft-bristled brush can help remove the ones embedded between the kernels. Make sure that the brush you’ll use is clean and won’t damage the skin of the corn.
Blanching helps maintain the nutrients of the corn. It also keeps the crunchy texture and appetizing color when you rehydrate.
To blanch the corn ears, boil a pot of water that’s enough to submerge them. Boil them for 5-6 minutes tops. The goal here is to blanch and not cook the corn, so set the timer so that you won’t go over. Once they’re done, dunk them in an ice bath.
There are many ways to remove the kernels from the cob. The traditional one is to hold the corn ear upright and use a sharp or serrated knife to slice the kernels away.
Another is to split the corn in half. Then using a skewer, pierce through a straight line of kernels, then lift the kernels by lifting the skewer straight up. This will help break the membrane or skin for better processing.
The kernels don’t have to be perfect. The more you expose the kernels, the easier they will be to work with to make freeze-dried corn powder.
Yes, definitely. It’s a good option when you can’t find fresh corn in your area. However, these won’t have the same sweet taste as fresh ones.
Corn can store a lot of moisture, lengthening the freeze-drying time. Pre-freezing can help take a significant amount of time in your process. It’s also a better way to cue your food for freeze-drying. So while one food is preserving, your trays of corn are getting ready by freezing in your deep freezer.
Harvest Right recommends a pre-freeze of 48 hours. The more ice crystals formed in the kernels, the better your freeze dryer would work. Make sure you use cold trays to freeze-dry your grains to prevent condensation.
To make freeze-dried corn powder, here’s what you need to do.
The process can take about 52 hours, especially if you have a lot of trays to process. You know the trays are done when the corn is light, flaky, and crunchy. If any spots feel cool and most, l put the trays back for an additional 2-3 hours extra dry time.
When your corn’s done freeze-drying, you can now process it into freeze-dried corn powder.
Traditionally, corn powder’s made using a stone mill. But, of course, not everyone can own a stone mill. You can use a ginormous mortar and pestle, but that can take a while.
A blender works well than a food processor because it’s more powerful. Go for a high-speed one, like a Vitamix, to pulverize the corn into a fine powder. Strain the powder using a fine-mesh sieve, then put the big chunks back in the blender. Continue until you have consumed all the corn for your freeze-dried corn powder.
Making your freeze-dried corn powder can be a lot of work. If you don’t have enough time and patience to make yours, buy freeze-dried corn powder online.
Fresh & Wild only uses the finest summer-fresh sweet corn. Their freeze-dried corn powder is ground to a super-fine powder that gives your recipes that delightful corn taste. It’s suitable for making cornbread, cakes, polenta, muffins, and biscuits.
The product costs $21.90 for 2-5 days of ground shipping. If you want next-day delivery, you’ll pay $30.90. If you want to make the most out of your order, get more than four items, and you’ll get free shipping.
Amifruit freeze-dried corn powder is widely distributed. You can get them in Paris Gourmet, Pastry Depot, and even in Amazon. What you get is a 6-lb container for $123.09 up, depending on where you’ll buy it.
Freeze-dried corn powder has a lot of use and is certainly full of flavor. Done right, you have powder that can add flavor to your dishes when corn is not available. What’s more, the powder can last for 25 years or more.
If the powder is a chore for you, you can buy freeze-dried powder online in Fresh & Wild and Amifruit. There are no reviews yet, but these may be worth trying if you want a ready supply.
Are you planning to make your own or buy freeze-dried corn powder instead? Let us know in the comment section.
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