Dried pineapple

Cover it with warm water for 10–20 minutes, then drain and pat dry before chopping it into cake batter or scones. Save the soaking liquid for a smoothie or to sweeten porridge.

Yes: chop it into small pieces and fold it into the batter. If the pieces are very firm, soak them first so they soften rather than drawing moisture from the cake.

It works with coconut, cashews and banana in trail mix, and with chilli, ginger and lime in savoury dishes. Add chopped pieces to fried rice or a curry near the end of cooking so they stay chewy.

Seal it in an airtight container and keep it in a cool, dry cupboard away from sunlight. If it becomes damp, smells fermented or shows mould, discard it.

Look for pineapple as the sole ingredient; added sugar or syrup makes it candied. Pieces that are sticky and glossy are often sugar-coated, while plain dried pineapple is usually chewy and less syrupy.

Use dried mango or dried papaya in roughly the same amount for a similarly chewy, tropical fruit flavour. For a less sweet result, chopped dried apricot works well in cakes and savoury rice dishes.