While I was in culinary school, we’d often use dehydrated fruits as garnishes in baked goods. Nowadays, I like using dried fruits as garnishes for drinks. It’s so easy to store them longterm, so you can keep them on hand for whenever you need them! This dehydrated starfruit recipe is perfect for stepping up your garnish game using the tropical and strikingly beautiful carambola fruit, also known as starfruit!
All you need to make this recipe is a small dehydrator and some fresh starfruit. Before you know it, you’ll have stunning garnishes for all your drinks, like a starfruit smoothie, a starfruit daiquiri, or starfruit margarita! This exotic garnish is also a favorite of mine for using in tropical libations or tiki drinks like the mai tai or aku aku! Looking for more dehydrated fruit recipes? Check out this recipe for dehydrated lime wheels!
💕 why you need to make dehydrated starfruit
⭐️ stunning garnishes. Using dried fruits as garnishes is an easy way to stay ready! It’s easy to store these slices longterm, so you are always ready for a beautiful garnish.
😌 easy to make. Making these dried starfruit pieces is as easy as slicing and drying. The bulk of the process is totally hands-off, thanks to using a small countertop dehydrator!
🎁 great for gifting. Dehydrated fruit slices are perfect hostess gifts! You can easily place a handful in a small glass jar for a quick present that is sure to wow your hosts!
🛒 ingredients
- starfruit – you will need fresh starfruit for this recipe. One medium fruit will make about 12 pieces of dehydrated starfruit. Choose fruits that are deeper yellow in color, or even a little browned. This means they are very ripe, and sweeter in taste! Don’t choose fruit that are too small, as they will shrink considerably in the dehydrator.
See the recipe card for the exact quantities.
🍳 instructions
Step 1: Wash and dry the starfruit, removing any dirt or impurities.
Step 2: Slice each fruit in 1/4 inch slices.
Step 3: Arrange the starfruit on your dehydrator trays.
Step 4: Dry in your dehydrator at 100 – 125ºF (38 – 52ºC) for about 15 hours.
Step 5: Check to be sure your starfruit is completely dried. Allow it to cool to room temperature for a few hours, still closed in the dehydrator.
Step 6: Once cooled, transfer to an airtight storage container and store it in a cool dark place.
Hint: Leave a bit of room between each slice, and don’t allow them to overlap or touch excessively as they could stick together.
💡tips & tricks for getting it right
ℹ️ troubleshooting tips
While this is a simple recipe, there are a few things that can go wrong!
- dark starfruit – use a lower temperature of drying if you want your starfruit to maintain its color without turning dark brown.
- curling fruit – while lower temperatures can preserve color, you risk having curled fruit when drying at lower, slower temperatures.
- thicker slices – if you slice your fruit too thin, your pieces of starfruit will be brittle and could break when removing them from the dehydrator trays. Slice your fruit thicker to keep the pieces stronger.
🔆 top tip
Slice the fruit a little thicker than you think you’ll need to. Starfruit is very high in water content, so the slices will shrink significantly in the dehydrator!
🧰 equipment needed & storage tips
🧰 tools needed
- small countertop dehydrator – I’m obsessed with my small Nesco dehydrator. It’s got a minimal footprint, so it doesn’t take up a lot of counter space, and it’s easy to store. It’s also easy to use and has an adjustable temperature!
- knife – Use a sharp knife to make sure you can easily cut through the starfruits. I love Wüsthof brand knives because they feel great in hand, are super sharp, and great heirloom quality. The linked Cuisinart knives are also a great buy!
- cutting board – a small cutting board is needed for slicing your fruits.
🫙 storage tips
Once fully dried, your starfruit slices will keep for up to a year. You will want to store them in an airtight container, like a glass mason jar for best results. Make sure to keep moisture out of the jar at all costs! This is especially important if you live in a humid environment like I do in Florida. You can use food-safe silica gel desiccant packets to help keep moisture out of the jar, too.
💬 q+a
Do I need a dehydrator for making this recipe?
While technically, you can use an oven to make dehydrated fruit, it’s much more involved than using a dehydrator. Certain air dryers have a dehydrate function and can be used, but you will need to make smaller batches at a time.
Can I eat the dehydrated starfruit?
Yes! These slices of dried starfruit can be eaten as is. Keep in mind, they will be tough and chewy because all the moisture has been sucked out!
If you make this recipe, please leave a review in the comments and a star rating!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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Dehydrated Starfruit (Dried Starfruit for Drink Garnishes)
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Equipment
- 1 small dehydrator
- 1 knife
- 1 cutting board
Ingredients
- 3 whole starfruit medium-sized, about 200 g in weight
Instructions
- Wash and dry the starfruit, removing any dirt or impurities.
- If desired, you can remove the outer ribs of the fruit, which are the darker brown “threads” along the outside of the fruit’s points.
- Slice each fruit in 1/4 inch slices. You may also wish to pop out the seeds using a toothpick prior to dehydrating.
- Arrange the starfruit on your dehydrator trays. Leave a bit of room between each slice, and don’t allow them to overlap or touch excessively as they could stick together.
- Dry in your dehydrator at 100 – 125ºF (38 – 52ºC) for about 15 hours.
- Check to be sure your starfruit is completely dried. Allow it to cool to room temperature for a few hours, still closed in the dehydrator.
- Once cooled, transfer to an airtight storage container.
- Store your dehydrated starfruit in a cool dark place, out of direct sunlight and any area where moisture can get into the jar.
Notes
Preparation Notes:
If desired, you can remove the outer ribs of the fruit, which are the darker brown “threads” along the outside of the fruit’s points. I also like to pop the seeds out using a toothpick prior to dehydrating. Slice the fruit a little thicker than you think you’ll need to. Starfruit is very high in water content, so the slices will shrink significantly in the dehydrator!Storage Notes:
Make sure your starfruit slices are completely dried AND cooled before storing. Storing the warm fruit can lead to condensation, which can spoil the fruit.Nutrition Information
The information provided is an estimate based on an online nutrition facts calculator and actual nutrition facts may vary.
