Basics of Dried Fruits

The Spruce / Elaine Lemm

Pick up any baking recipe where dried fruits are involved and there is no way of avoiding the three stalwarts of raisins, currants, and sultanas. These three are used extensively in traditional British and Irish cakes and puddings. You will find them in many guises but they are the main players in both a Christmas cake or Christmas pudding, and mince pies would be nothing without them. You will even find them in chutneys and curries making them, without a doubt, one of the most versatile ingredients in the kitchen.

So are they interchangeable? Are they simply the same thing but with just a different colored skin?

The answer is no. They are, in fact, very different and each brings their qualities to the baking party. Plus, if you add to the issue that different countries use different names, it can become even more confusing.