Considering that air fryers have found their way onto our countertops with the promise of skinny fries, healthier cooked meats and even a whole chicken, it’s understandable that many of us tend to cook in them.
However, most air fryers can offer more, from simple snacks and breakfasts to a helping hand with baking. Read on to find out why you should reach for your air fryer at any time of the day, not just during dinner.
1. Start dehydrating
If your air fryer can reach the low temperatures needed to dehydrate (rather than cook), there are a variety of foods you can turn into healthy snacks. This includes making thinly sliced ​​meat jerky (about 65-80°C/150-175°F). Beef is popular, but you can also try less common meats such as venison or buffalo.
Or you can dry slices of fruit (around 55-60°C/130-140°F), such as apple, pineapple, banana and orange. Six to eight hours should give them a chewy texture, or you can let them dry longer for a crispier result.
Rachel Ogden / Foundry
Rachel Ogden / Foundry
Rachel Ogden / Foundry
You can even use your air fryer to make meringue: bake it at 120°C for 20 minutes, followed by a drying temperature of 95°C for 70 minutes. Let cool in the basket for an hour and the result is crispy meringues for desserts.
2. Whip up a portion of yogurt
Some air fryers have a dedicated yogurt setting, but even if they don’t, you can start fermenting as long as one of the presets drops to 42°C/107°F and runs for at least six hours. A ‘proof’ preset can often double for making yogurt.
Rachel Ogden / Foundry
Rachel Ogden / Foundry
Rachel Ogden / Foundry
It is advisable to first use a microwave or stovetop, as well as a thermometer, to heat the milk to 82°C (this kills any bacteria and usually results in a thicker yogurt), before quickly cooling the milk. a water or ice bath to approximately 47-52°C/117-126°F.
You can then mix in a generous spoonful of live yogurt, place it in lidded containers that fit in the basket of your air fryer (glass jars are ideal) and let it ferment for up to 12 hours. Once the program has finished, allow the container or jars to cool to room temperature and then place them in the refrigerator.
3. Be a better baker
Making cakes, rolls, donuts, and even bagels traditionally means turning on the oven, but if you have an air fryer, that may not be necessary.
Many not only have a proofing preset (about 32-38°C/90-100°F) – perfect for letting the dough rise gently without having to keep it in an airing cupboard or keep your oven on a low setting – u On most models you will also find a bake setting (usually preset to 180°C/355°F), allowing you to bake almost anything you can cook in your oven, but on a smaller scale.
As a rough guide, you can set your air fryer to a temperature 20°C/70°F lower than the specified oven baking temperature and reduce the time by 20-25%.
4. Achieve perfect eggs
No pan? No problem. You can use your air fryer to ‘cook’ eggs: just make sure you cook them longer than on the stovetop and not at air frying temperature.
Eggs can crack or in extreme cases explode in an air fryer if cooked in the shell using intense heat. This is because a high temperature causes steam to build up in the egg too quickly, increasing pressure and causing the shell to crack.
Rachel Ogden / Foundry
Rachel Ogden / Foundry
Rachel Ogden / Foundry
They will crack if used at temperatures of 170°C/340°F and above. Instead, set your air fryer to 150°C/300°F and cook for 8 minutes for soft-boiled and 12 minutes for hard-boiled, based on a medium egg. For larger eggs, increase the time slightly.
Air fryers can also be used for other types of eggs, such as poached (7 minutes at 180°C) in bowls with a little hot water.
5. Inflate your dough
Thanks to the high temperatures and fast cooking times in an air fryer, you can make everything from a batch of canapes or apple turnovers to shortcrust pastry pies.
The key to getting it right lies in preheating: while you can cheat and pop food in an air fryer when it’s cold, the pastry should go in when the air fryer is already at 200°C/390°F. This ensures that it rises well and is light and crispy. It’s also a good idea not to overcrowd the basket, as this will prevent heat from circulating as it should. Cook in batches instead of trying to do a lot at once.
The dough can burn quickly, so check it halfway through, especially if it is thin, and keep a skewer handy to check if the crusts are done.
Given the wide variety of applications, even if space on the kitchen worktop is at a premium, your air fryer will certainly deserve its place.
Looking for an air fryer? Check out our reviews of the best air fryers, the best Ninja air fryers and, for more cooking capacity, the best air fryer ovens to browse our recommendations.
