America's Test Kitchen LogoCook's Country LogoCook's Illustrated Logo

Plumping Dried Fruit

Use this simple technique to soften and plump dried fruit.

Use this simple technique to soften and plump dried fruit.

In testing dried fruit for several of our recipes, we found that many of them benefit from a hot liquid soak, especially any that have been sitting in the cupboard for a while, shriveling and turning hard. The technique, known as “plumping,” is often used for dried fruits that will be baked. Place the fruit in a bowl and just cover with water. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and microwave until the water begins to boil, about 1 minute. Let stand until the dried fruits are soft, about 5 minutes. Depending on the flavors in your recipe, you can experiment with broth, wine, spirits, tea, or coffee in place of the water. They’ll flavor the fruit as well as soften it.

Recommended Reading

This is a members' feature.