Instructions

1. Harvest the jujubes when the dew still clings to the fruit early in the morning. Spread a sheet under a jujube tree and shake the branches to dislodge the ripened fruit.

2. Rinse and dry the jujube fruit. Discard stems and soft, bruised fruits.

3. Cover the jujubes with water in a pot.

4. Weigh the fruit down under the water with a plate on top of the fruit.

5. Bring the fruit to a boil and cook until the jujube fruit become tender.

6. Remove the plate and drain the fruit.

7. Slice each fruit in half, lengthwise and scoop out the seed from the center with a spoon.

8. Fill a pot with one quart of halved and seeded jujubes and ½ cup sugar.

9. Heat the fruit and sugar over low heat until the sugar melts. Remove the sugared fruits from the pot and let cool.

10. Lay the jujube fruits in a single layer on a baking rack and dry in an oven on the lowest setting until they dry to a prune-like texture. Optionally, dry the fruit in a dehydrator set at 140 degrees F according to your manufacturer's instructions. Check the fruit hourly as varietal, thickness and weather conditions will change the amount of time the fruit require to dry.

11. Store the dried jujubes sealed in plastic bags at room temperature for up to one year.