Dried Plums! Smart + Simple DIY gifts
Know anyone with an Italian plum tree? The trees bear a lot of fruit all at once, making it hard to know how to deal with it all. When you’ve got too much fruit on your hands, here’s a way to turn it into:
- An activity for your kids
- A healthy snack
- Impressive handcrafted gifts
Italian plums are tasty fresh, but they are somehow yummier when dried, especially when topped with nut butter!
Materials and tools:
-Sharp knife
-Dehydrator
-Airtight containers
-Self-sealing plastic sleeves
-Personalized labels to showcase your gift and tell your plum story (We used the Simple Edge style to include personalized photos as well as words and colors.)
Instructions:
1. Rinse the plums in a tub of water, removing stems and any debris.
2. Strain the plums.
3. Slice them in half, cutting along the seam and around the pit. Remove the pits so you are left with halved plums.
4. Arrange the plum halves on dehydrator trays so that they are mostly not touching each other (this is a great project for little kids).
5. Dehydrate for 1-3 days, until the plum halves are bendable, but not moist on the inside.
6. Store your dried plums in an airtight container.
To turn these plums into special gifts:
1. Label several self-sealing plastic sleeves.
2. Place a handful of plums in each sleeve.
3. Your special treats are ready to give out at gatherings, holidays or birthdays!
Juliet Avant is Evermine's inspiration blogger, bringing you easy, lovely DIY gift ideas. Juliet is especially moved by fleeting seasonal flavors, light that dances off greenery, and the capacity of simple gifts to build connections.