Desert Paradise Fruit Leather Recipes

FRUIT LEATHER

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 150 degrees F (65 degrees C). Cover a baking sheet with a layer of plastic wrap or parchment paper.
• In the container of a blender, combine the sugar, lemon juice, apple and pear. Cover and puree until smooth. Spread evenly on the prepared pan. Place the pan on the top rack of the oven.
• Bake for 5 to 6 hours, leaving the door to the oven partway open. Fruit is dry when the surface is no longer tacky and you can tear it like leather. Roll up on the plastic wrap and store in an airtight jar.

FRUIT LEATHER

Steps:

• Mix 1/3 cup no-sugar-added fruit preserves with 1 teaspoon cornstarch. Spread into a 2-by-12-inch strip on greased parchment; bake 45 minutes at 225 degrees F. Cool, then trim the parchment and roll up.

DESERT PARADISE FRUIT LEATHER

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients in blender.
• Lightly spray plastic leather sheets with cooking spray.
• Dehydrate for 8-12 hours at 130 degrees until no longer tacky.
• Cut into pieces with pizza cutter wheel or kitchen shears.
• Roll up with wax paper and store in ziplock bags.

QUICK FRUIT LEATHER

Steps:

• In blender or food processor, blend fruit and sugar until smooth.
• Pour fruit puree into microwave-safe bowl and cook on HIGH 8 minutes or until puree is reduced by half.
• Lay a piece of microwave-safe plastic wrap on a 10-inch microwave-safe plate.
• Evenly spread 1/4 cup fruit mixture to a 6-1/2 inch diameter circle.
• Make sure edges are not too thin or they will scorch.
• Elevate plate on top of inverted (upside-down) microwave-safe saucer.
• Microwave at MEDIUM (50% power) about 5 minutes or until leather is no longer sticky in center.
• If more cooking time is needed, cook at MEDIUM in 25 second increments, watching closely so that leather does not burn.
• Carefully place plastic wrap with fruit leather on wire rack to cool.
• Let stand at room temperature overnight to dry.
• Repeat with remaining fruit puree.
• Roll up leathers in plastic wrap.

STRAWBERRY-RHUBARB FRUIT LEATHER

Steps:

• Line 3 half-sheet pans (11.5" X 16.5", with sides), with freezer paper, shiny-side up. Spray the freezer paper with vegetable oil spray (Pam).
• Clean and hull the strawberries and wash rhubarb.
• Chop rhubarb and place in a 3 or 4 quart sauce pan.
• Add orange juice and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until rhubarb is soft.
• Add the chopped berries and cook for another 3 or 4 minutes.
• Remove from heat and stir in the honey and coloring, if using.
• Cool slightly, then puree using a stick blender (or CAREFULLY in batches in a blender or processor), until very smooth.
• Evenly spread about 2 and 1/2 cups of the puree on each prepared pan.
• Shake the pan back and forth gently to make an even thickness from edge to edge; and off-set spatula can also be helpful here.
• Make sure the layer of puree is as even as possible so it will dry evenly.
• Place pans in 150º F oven (I have a commercial oven that will take all three pans at once, but one or two pans can be dried at a time while the third pan waits - you might want to cover it with plastic wrap and chill it).
• Close the oven door, but keep it slightly ajar by placing a folded kitchen towel in the door.
• Let the leather dry for 10 to 12 hours (overnight is ideal), until it is dry but still pliable.
• Pans may need to be shifted in the oven occasionally to dry evenly.
• When the leather is no longer sticky, remove from the oven, peel it off the paper in one large sheet, and turn it over, right back onto the freezer paper it came off of.
• Turn off the oven and return the "flipped" leather to the oven, with door ajar, for another 1 or 2 hours to complete the drying.
• Peel the leather off the paper and place on a large cooling rack and let air dry for 2 to 4 hours.
• Your kitchen's humidity will really determine the drying times.
• Lightly dust with cornstarch, if desired, to reduce any remaining stickiness.
• Cut into serving-sized squares and roll up in plastic.
• You can also roll the whole sheet of leather into one large piece of plastic wrap and store it that way; cut it or "rip" it when ready to eat.
• Store in a cool dry place, or in the fridge or freezer.

FRUIT LEATHER (NO DEHYDRATOR NEEDED)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to its lowest setting (between 150°F and 200°F depending on your oven - anything up to 200°F is fine). Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone baking sheet (Silpat). Spray lightly with non-stick cooking spray.
• Puree the fruit in blender or food processor with sweetener, lemon juice and flavoring(s) until smooth. Pour puree onto prepared baking sheet and tilt pan to form as thin and even a layer as possible. Bake in preheated oven 2-8 hours, until the fruit is just barely tacky to the touch and peels off the sheet easily.

STRAWBERRY-BANANA FRUIT LEATHER

Steps:

• Put all ingredients into blender until puree forms.
• Dry in dehydrator for 8 hours at 125 degrees.

FRUIT LEATHER

Steps:

• Tip the strawberries and apple into a saucepan. Put the pan over a low heat, you don't need to add any water. If you've used frozen fruit, juice will run out as they thaw. Heat gently, keeping an eye on the pan until the strawberries start to break down, you can put a lid on the pan if you like, this keeps the steam in and helps the fruit break down. Cook until the strawberries have softened and given up their juice and the apple is soft.
• Take the pan off the heat. Purée the contents with a stick blender or in a food processor. Squeeze the purée through a sieve into a clean pan, pushing as much pulp through as possible.
• Put the pan back on a low heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the purée thickens enough to leave a clear patch on the base of the pan when you pull a spoon through it. The more moisture you drive off now, the shorter your drying time will be.
• Heat the oven to as low as it will go. Pour the purée onto a lined baking sheet (we use a reusable silicone tray liner) and spread it out to a thin layer, the purée should be thick enough to look opaque.
• Put the tray in the oven and dry until the surface is no longer tacky when you touch it, but the leather is still flexible - don't overcook it or it will turn brittle. This will take several hours depending on the oven temperature. If it is very hot and sunny you can air-dry the leather, or use a dehydrator.
• Leave the leather to cool to warm and then peel it carefully off the tray. Trim off the raggedy edges. Roll the leather up, then cut the roll into sections, using scissors is easiest. Each of these will unroll to make a strip. Keep the strips individually wrapped and airtight. The offcuts can be chopped up and used in baking, or snacked on.