Dried fruit can be a delicious, healthy snack and an essential ingredient in some recipes. However, some recipes require the dried fruit to be plumper and thus more flavorful. There are ways to refresh, or rehydrate dried fruit. One of the most popular dried fruits, raisins have a long shelf life but harden over time. It's easy to refresh them so that you can enjoy their flavor and nutrients.

Place hardened raisins in a pot or small saucepan. Cover them with cold water and place the pan on a stove.

Bring to a boil over medium heat. Remove from heat as soon as the water begins to boil and let stand for approximately 20 minutes.

Pour the contents of the pan into a colander or fine-mesh sieve to drain the water. The raisins should now be plump and ready to eat or use in your favorite recipes.