{"product_id":"freeze-dried-sour-cherries","title":"Freeze-Dried Sour Cherries","description":"\u003cp\u003eWhole Iranian sour cherries, pitted and freeze-dried. In Persian they are \u003cem\u003ealbaloo\u003c\/em\u003e, and they are a different fruit from the sweet cherry sold fresh — sharper, more acidic, and the one pastry has always wanted. A sour cherry has enough backbone to stand up to chocolate, sugar and cream instead of disappearing into them.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFrozen first, then vacuum-dried by sublimation, so the water leaves without heat ever touching the fruit. Nothing added: no sugar, no colouring, no preservative.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWhy these look different from the strawberries\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003ePut our Freeze-Dried Strawberries next to these and the cherries look wrinkled and dark where the strawberries look plump and matte. That is the fruit, not the process.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eA strawberry is porous and thin-skinned, so vapour leaves easily and the berry holds its shape. A cherry has a tough, waxy, largely sealed skin and far more sugar in it, and both of those work against a perfectly plump result — the skin resists, the sugar softens the structure, and the surface draws in as the water goes. Every freeze-dried whole cherry on the market looks like this. A cherry that came out as smooth and round as a fresh one would have had something done to it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eCharacter\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSharply, cleanly tart, with a dark almost-fermented sweetness underneath and none of the syrupy quality that sugar-infused dried cherries have. Crisp, though noticeably denser in the mouth than the strawberries — a cherry has more sugar and more flesh, so it crunches rather than dissolving. Colour runs from bright red to near-black across a pack.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eHow to use\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cul\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWith chocolate.\u003c\/strong\u003e The classic pairing, and freeze-dried is the form that makes it easy — no moisture means no risk of seizing, so they go straight into bars, bark, rochers and bonbon fillings without tempering trouble.\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWith pistachio.\u003c\/strong\u003e A Persian combination as much as a European one. Sour cherry and pistachio together in a nougat, a financier or a biscotti is one of the better ideas in this catalogue.\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBlitzed to powder.\u003c\/strong\u003e A deep red powder with real acidity behind it — unusual, because most natural red colourings bring no flavour with them. Good in buttercream, macaron shells, glazes and white chocolate.\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBaking.\u003c\/strong\u003e Cookies, brownies, scones, panettone, stollen and Bakewell. Unlike a conventionally dried cherry, these will not pull water out of your crumb.\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDecoration.\u003c\/strong\u003e Whole or broken over entremets, cheesecakes and gelato.\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eRehydrated.\u003c\/strong\u003e A few minutes in warm water, kirsch, rum or red wine brings them back for clafoutis, compotes and fillings.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWorking notes\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eLike all freeze-dried fruit, these take moisture out of the air fast — crisp to chewy inside a couple of hours on an open bench in this climate, with no way back. Seal the pack as soon as you have taken what you need.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOne advantage over conventionally dried cherries worth knowing: because there is no water in these, they do not need soaking before they go into a batter, and they will not steal moisture from the crumb around them.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eAt a glance\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cul\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eForm:\u003c\/strong\u003e Whole freeze-dried sour cherries, pitted\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIngredients:\u003c\/strong\u003e 100% sour cherry. No sugar, colouring or preservative.\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eProcess:\u003c\/strong\u003e Freeze-dried — frozen, then vacuum-dried by sublimation\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin:\u003c\/strong\u003e Iran [CONFIRM]\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAvailable in:\u003c\/strong\u003e [CONFIRM — see sizing note]\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eStorage\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAirtight and resealed immediately, in a cool dark cupboard. No refrigeration needed, and in humid conditions the fridge can work against you if condensation forms on the pack. A food-safe desiccant sachet in the container is worth the trouble here.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eQuestions\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhy are these wrinkled when the strawberries are not?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\nBecause a cherry has a tough sealed skin and much more sugar in it, both of which pull the surface in as the water leaves. It is characteristic of the fruit and normal in every freeze-dried whole cherry. The texture is still crisp; only the appearance differs.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSour cherry or sweet cherry?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\nSour. It is the variety Iranian growers are known for, and the one worth having in a kitchen — a sweet cherry loses its identity the moment sugar goes near it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow is this different from ordinary dried cherries?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\nDried cherries have their water pulled out with heat, which leaves them chewy and concentrates the sugar. These are dried without heat, so they stay crisp and stay tart. They also need no soaking before baking, where a dried cherry does.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs there any sugar in these?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\nNo. Dried sour cherries are very often sugar-infused to soften the acidity. These are not, which is the point of buying them.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCan I make powder from these?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\nYes. A spice grinder gives a deep red powder in seconds. Grind as you need it rather than in advance.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Délice Pistachios","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53789401907494,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"MYR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0782\/7442\/9222\/files\/hf_20260830_103654_661895ba-b9b3-4570-a3b8-d7e6c506d549.png?v=1788088864","url":"https:\/\/delicepistachios.com\/products\/freeze-dried-sour-cherries","provider":"Délice Pistachios","version":"1.0","type":"link"}