Raisin Soak - What You Need to Know + Best Uses

Raisins are a delicious addition to many desserts, but did you know that you can rehydrate them and bring them back to life?

Soaked raisins have a smooth texture and a very sweet and balanced flavor. They can be used in a variety of ways, but may be best suited for different types of cakes!

But how do you soak raisins?

Raisins are typically soaked overnight or for a minimum of 12 hours in water, and can be rehydrated with many other types of liquids as well. Once hydrated, they become plump and can be used in multiple ways.

Soaked Raisins vs. Dried - The Definitive Guide

Raisins are essentially dried grapes. It can even be said that every grape can be a raisin and vice versa!

The reason why raisins are so popular is that they are convenient, nutritious and can be used in desserts as well as savory recipes.

Raisins have been consumed since prehistoric times and became popular in Egypt. Many scientists believe that raisins were more of a discovery than an invention of man.

When the ripe grapes fell from the trees, they dried naturally in the sun and were widely used for food by humans throughout history.

There are many types of raisins; If you have access to different types of grapes, you can also make raisins of any kind! All you need is a dehydrator or a method to remove excess moisture and a lot of patience.

Raisins can last a long time due to the lack of water they contain. They have a typical shelf life of about 6-12 months, with some varieties lasting even longer if stored properly.

Soaking dried fruit is an ancient method to revitalize food and restore part of its lost texture. There are many methods to rehydrate the fruit, but the most common is to use water as a base to fill the raisins.

Keep in mind that rehydrated raisins have a similar nutritional profile to dried raisins, unless they are soaked in a fortified liquid. (More on this later.)

These soaked raisins are commonly used in cakes, custards, puddings, and other products. They are also often used in spicy and salty dishes.

For example, fat raisins can be combined with aromatic and spicy rice, meat, vegetables, and can also be used to make soups and much more!

how to make raisins

Dried fruits, such as raisins, form when there is a significant loss of moisture inside. Grapes are commonly known to be water-laden fruits that have a smooth texture and plump structure.

To understand how raisins are rehydrated, we need to look at the dehydration process first!

The following methods are ideal for dehydrating grapes to make raisins at home:

1. Sun drying method
2. Air Dry Method
3. Heat drying method
4. dehydrator method

Sun drying method

This method is the most widely used around the world, especially in Asia. Sun drying is a natural way to dehydrate food to preserve it and change its texture.

There are many types of fruits, vegetables, and herbs that are often dried in the sun.

Grapes are a very popular choice, as home-dried raisins are much better than canned raisins due to their freshness and the control you have over the entire process.

Here’s how to dry grapes in the sun:

1. Clean the grapes under the sink with clean water, then pat them dry with a paper towel. Make sure there is no excess moisture on the skin before putting them out to dry.
2. Arrange the grapes on a wire rack and place them on your balcony or near a window with direct sunlight. You will need to let the grapes dehydrate naturally for about 96 hours. Therefore, make sure that the grapes are free of insects or animals during the 3-day dehydration period.
3. This duration also depends on the surrounding weather conditions. You may have to leave the grapes out longer if you live in a humid climate with cloudy skies.
4. Put the dried grapes in a strainer and shake them well to remove any excess dirt or dust.
5. Store the grapes in an airtight container and consume them within 3 months.

Air Dry Method

This method is often used in humid climates or when you don’t have access to a window or if you fear that pets or animals may interfere with the dehydration process.

The air-dry method takes longer than the sun-dry method, but it’s still a great way to turn grapes into raisins.

This method uses dry air to naturally dehydrate the grapes and create raisins.

This is how you can do it: 

1. Wash the grapes and dry them with a paper towel.
2. Transfer the grapes to a tray.
3. Place the tray in a cool, dry place. You must keep the grapes away from excess moisture or temperature differences. Store them like this for about 1-2 weeks.
4. Keep a close eye on the grapes and make sure they are away from flies or insects.
5. Filter the raisins through a sieve to remove excess dust and store in an airtight container (or in the fridge) for up to 2-3 months.

heat drying

Also known as the oven-dry method, it is the best way to quickly dehydrate any type of fruit, especially grapes in 6 hours.

This is by far the fastest method of making raisins at home, but these raisins may still be half slumped and may need another 24 hours at room temperature to fully dehydrate.

For this method

• Preheat oven to 225°F and, on a cookie sheet, lightly spray some grease and arrange all the grapes evenly.
• Let the grapes heat for 4 hours or until they start to wrinkle.
• Take out the raisins after 4-5 hours and check if they are ready. They must be totally dehydrated or half undone.
• Sort and separate the raisins from the half-dried grapes. You can continue to dehydrate the grapes with any of the above methods for no more than 24 hours.
• Store the raisins in the fridge and consume them within 3 months.

dehydrator method

Dehydrators used to be large industrial machines, but today you can easily buy a cheap, compact dehydrator for home projects.

The dehydrator will produce the best quality raisins because it will evenly dry all the grapes without you having to worry about outside environmental factors.

This is what you have to do

1. Clean and dry the grapes.
2. Place the grapes in the dehydrator. Make sure each grape is placed individually and not stacked.
3. Close the lid, turn on the dehydrator and let it run for at least 8-9 hours or until the grapes have turned into raisins.

Rehydration methods

As we have said, rehydrating the raisins is just a matter of leaving them in liquid or until they are fat again.

However, there are a few things to keep in mind.

First of all, the raisins will never really regain their color or even their fresh taste. Sure, they’ll get plump and not even look like your typical raisins, but they’ll essentially be puffy dried fruit.

Since fruit absorbs excess water, there are some interesting ways to use them!

Here are a few great ways to rehydrate dried raisins at home:

1. Rehydration with fruit juice
2. rehydration with water
3. alcohol rehydration
4. Rehydration with egg mixture

Fruit juice rehydration

A fun way to rehydrate raisins is to use fruit juice. Remember that as the raisins soak, they will absorb moisture from the environment until they become plump.

Therefore, you can use grape juice or, better yet, pineapple to rehydrate the raisins. The fruit juice will add excellent flavor and texture to the raisins and make them extremely juicy.

They will take on both the flavor of the juice and the balanced flavor of the grape. This type of soaked raisins can be used as a garnish for flans, cakes, puddings and much more.

You can also mix them into smoothies or add them as a finishing touch to drinks. Trust us, if it’s flavor and texture you’re after, this is by far the best way to rehydrate dried raisins.

Here’s how to rehydrate them:

• Rinse the raisins under clean water to remove excess dust. Although you don’t need to worry about drying them, as they will be added directly to the fruit mixture, it would be a good idea to pat them dry for hygiene purposes.
• In a deep bowl, pour 3-4 cups of the fruit juice of your choice. We recommend that you choose pineapple or grape juice so that it has more flavor. You will need about 2-3 cups of juice for every cup of dried raisins.
• Let the raisins rehydrate for at least 24 hours in the fridge. You can also put them in a zippered bag for convenience.
• Once they are plump enough, strain the juice or use it with it in any recipe.

rehydration in water

This method may seem boring and may have the least impact on flavor, but it is the best way to rehydrate them without affecting their neutral taste.

The rehydration method in water will also allow you to use fat raisins in different recipes without adding additional and unwanted flavors.

The rehydration method in water is considered much more convenient, as you can soak the raisins for 24 hours without worrying about the liquid going bad, as is the case with open fruit juice, which requires constant refrigeration.

To jump-start the process, you can also add hot (not boiling) water to a resealable bag and add the raisins. This will shorten the process by a few hours and ensure that the raisins are well filled.

These are all the steps:

1. Rinse the raisins with clean water, then in a large bowl with at least 3 cups of water, add 1 cup of any type of raisin.
2. Put the container in the fridge or add everything to a zip-top bag and let the raisins rehydrate overnight. You can also leave the raisins on the kitchen counter.
3. Once they are completely plump, shake off any excess liquid and consume the raisins within a week for best results.

alcohol rehydration

Alcohol is a great way to add flavor and nuance to dried raisins. The final product can be used in fruit drinks or other delicious drinks.

The raisins will acquire an interesting taste and become fat enough in the alcohol mixture, just like any other liquid!

Here’s how to do it:

1. Place the raisins in a deep bowl and add at least 2-3 cups of brandy or rum.
2. Leave the raisins to soak overnight.
3. Once the raisins have a gelatinous exterior and have turned plump, remove them from the liquid or mix it all up in different drinks and enjoy!

Rehydration of the egg mixture

You might be surprised to know that soaking raisins in an egg mixture is one of the best ways to use them in baking. Why?

Well, if you plan to use the raisins in baked goods, we highly recommend that you start by soaking them in cracked eggs.

Think about it; it’s all going to mix in with the dry ingredients anyway, so why not take this opportunity to rehydrate the raisins in the egg-sugar mixture?

This is an important step, because using dried raisins directly can cause some problems in your baked goods. For example, when the cake is baked, the dried raisins can absorb moisture from the cake and cause it to crumble or dry out.

Although you can use any type of soaked raisins (using the methods described above), the egg-sugar mixture will work best for baking as it won’t introduce more moisture than necessary.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Clean the raisins by washing them with clean water.
2. Dry them.
3. In a bowl, break and add the necessary eggs and sugar. Mix well and add the raisins.
4. Refrigerate the mixture overnight and mix it well again to aerate it before adding it to the other ingredients.

Related questions

Now that you know how to soak raisins and how to turn grapes into raisins at home, here are a few related questions!

Will the raisins still soak up liquid if you leave them longer?

No. The raisins will only take up all the liquid they can hold. This is a very common misbelief; leaving the raisins for longer will not affect their texture.

Sure, you can leave them in the liquid overnight, but they won’t continue to absorb moisture beyond their saturation point or capacity.

Can soaked raisins be re-dried?

Yes, although you can repeat the drying process with the soaked raisins, you will lose a lot of flavor and the raisins may be too hard once dehydrated.

It is best to use them immediately after soaking.

How long can soaked raisins be stored?

Soaked raisins can be kept in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. It is best to consume them the same day you soak them to get the most out of their texture and flavor.

Freezing soaked raisins is not recommended, as it can destroy their delicate texture and affect their flavor as well.