Let me show you just how EASY it is to make freeze-dried Skittles! We’re taking those delicious soft and chewy fruity candies and transforming them into the most addictive crunchy, light, and airy bites of rainbow deliciousness!
Freeze Drying Is The Way To Go!
I’ve been a canner, preserver, homesteader, and prepper since I was little. We had a canning cellar (dirt floor, mind you) in our house growing up. Since we lived on 41 acres, we grew most of our fruits and vegetables.
Mom and Grandma taught me the ways to properly preserve/can the fruits of our labor to last throughout the year – nothing like opening a jar of farm-fresh corn in the middle of a snowy December. Let me show you today how to take it a step further and preserve your freeze-dried foods for up to 25 years!
Freeze Dried Ingredients
Freeze-drying candies like Skittles are a breeze thanks to the Prep4Life Freeze Dryer. The beauty of this unit is it walks you through the steps on the screen, and within minutes, your unit is on its way to making you addictive, crunchy, light, and airy bites of rainbow deliciousness!
- Skittles
- Storage Containers – Mylar Bags or Mason Jars
Freeze-Drying Your Food Is A Game Changer!
Whether you’re a Chef like myself, a homesteader, a prepper, or even if it’s just yourself, freeze-drying your food is the way to go.
In my case, I make anywhere from 5-10 recipes every single day, which means I have a TON of cooked foods. Sure, I freeze a good amount, but I only have so much freezer space. I’ll also give it away and donate it. But now I can freeze-dry my meals, making them shelf-stable for up to 25 years!
Say it’s just you or the 2 of you. Often, you may find that you’re left with a bunch of leftovers or milk that you can’t finish before the expiration date. Instead of pitching it and wasting your hard-earned money, freeze-dry it for later!
But we can talk more about that later on. Today, let’s concentrate on making these Skittles.
- Add your Skittles to your trays with silicone mat liners. Do not crowd them, as these candies will expand during the freeze-drying process. If you do overcrowd them, they’ll stick together.
Freeze Dry Skittles at Home
What I love about my Prep4Life CUBE is how easy it is to operate! Plug it in, turn it on, and follow the instructions on the screen. And you need zero previous knowledge or experience of how to do this!
- Press START, then press CANDY EXPRESS.
- Make sure the drain is closed and press YES.
- Add your trays of Skittles onto each rack, and close the door (seriously, I love how thick the door is and how unbelievably strong the magnet is to keep it shut!
- Once the food trays are in the unit, press YES, then press START.
- Now, you can walk away, and the unit will do all the work. In the CANDY EXPRESS mode, it will start to chill the chamber; then, in about ~20 minutes, the vacuum will turn on to decrease the pressure. Once a vacuum has been established, it will run for about two hours to completion.
- Once the Skittles are cooled, add them to a Mylar Bag or Mason Jar with an Oxygen Absorber before sealing. I use my Avid Armor USV32 Chamber Vacuum Sealer.
Now, you can walk away, and the unit will do all the work. In the CANDY EXPRESS mode, it will start to chill the chamber; then, in about ~20 minutes, the vacuum will turn on to decrease the pressure. Once a vacuum has been established, it will run for about two hours to completion.
Now, there is a Candy Express Custom Mode on this unit where you can set the preheat times, temperatures, and drying times. I’ve yet to delve into that, but I know that Skittles can be done in about ~30 minutes if desired. I’ll do that next to see if there are any textural differences.
Prep 4 Life Freeze Dried Skittles
While my Skittles were freeze-drying, I got my regular household chores done – laundry, dishes, and even decorations while the machine did the work for me.
When it was done, there was a chime and a prompt asking me if I needed to extend the drying time. A quick check was made by opening the door, and my Skittles were perfect!
Why do Skittles Expand When Freeze Dried?
The nerd in me LOVES this process! It’s all about sublimation. When you freeze dry Skittles (or candy in general), you remove the moisture. You do this by warming the candy at a very low temperature while under very low pressure.
These changes cause the moisture in the candy to turn ice directly into vapor. As the water expands, the candy does, too. It bursts essentially. The high sugar content helps prevent it from fully cracking apart.
As you can see, these have popped, leaving a beautiful white ring around the center. The first time I saw these, I immediately thought of the striped balls on a billiard table!
How to Store Freeze Dried Skittles
Once the Skittles are cooled, add them to a Mylar Bag or Mason Jar with an Oxygen Absorber before sealing. I use my Avid Armor USV32 Chamber Vacuum Sealer.
Short Term Freeze Dried Skittles Storage
The rule of thumb, if you will, is, if you’re going to eat it within a couple of years, go for the Mason Jar with an Oxygen Absorber. Also, you want to store them in a cooler, dry, dark area away from direct sunlight and keep them off the floor.
Long-Term Freeze Dried Skittles Storage
For the long haul, go with the Mylar Bag with an Oxygen Absorber. These are perfect pouches to take on the road, hiking, camping, or shipping food/meals to friends and family. These typically will last up to 25 years with proper preparation.
TKW Family Prep4Life Discount
I’ve worked it out with the Prep4Life team to offer TKW Family members an exclusive 5% discount on their order for a Prep4Life Freeze Dryer!
I chose to pass on the discount to you instead of making any affiliate commission. Stay tuned for more amazing freeze-dryer recipes!
Freeze Dried Skittles Recipe
Taking those delicious soft and chewy fruity candies and transforming them into the most addictive crunchy, light, and airy bites of rainbow deliciousness!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 2.5 hours
- Total Time: 2.5 hours
- Yield: ~28 servings
- Category: candies, freeze dried, homesteading, prepping, snacks, sweets
- Method: Freeze Dryer
- Cuisine: candies, freeze dried, homesteading, prepping, snacks, sweets
Ingredients
- 1 The CUBE Prep4Life Freeze Dryer
- ~2-3 cups/448 grams/ 756 pieces Skittles
- Mylar Bags
- Mason Jars
- Oxygen Absorbers (1 per bag/jar)
Instructions
- Press START, then press CANDY EXPRESS.
- Make sure the drain is closed and press YES.
- Add your trays of Skittles onto each rack, and close the door (seriously, I love how thick the door is and how unbelievably strong the magnet is to keep it shut!
- Once the food trays are in the unit, press YES, then press START.
- Now, you can walk away, and the unit will do all the work. In the CANDY EXPRESS mode, it will start to chill the chamber; then, in about ~20 minutes, the vacuum will turn on to decrease the pressure. Once a vacuum has been established, it will run for about two hours to completion.
- Once the Skittles are cooled, add them to a Mylar Bag or Mason Jar with an Oxygen Absorber before sealing. I use my Avid Armor USV32 Chamber Vacuum Sealer.
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