dried fruit is a term that broadly covers any kind of fruit preserved by desiccation. In the context of baking derived from traditional British practice, however, the term is more specific, indicating dried vine fruit, sometimes mixed with small dice of candied peel. See candied fruit. Dried fruit, in general, plays numerous roles in sweets, including direct use as snack food, as a component of confectionery items like energy bars, and as a dominant ingredient in rich fruitcake. See fruitcake. Over a million tons of dried vine fruits are produced annually. Apricots, prunes, and figs are also dried and traded in substantial quantities; dates are the most important in global terms. See dates.
