Heather says:
This weekend I tried my hand at making fruit leather for the first time. I found a recipe in Super Baby Food by Ruth Yaron.
Ingredients:
2 cups pureed fruit (cooked or raw)
Yes, that’s all that goes into these magical strips of yum. The key to the technique is patience. Cooked fruit will yield a glossier leather, but raw will retain more of the fresh taste. It is completely up to your personal preference. Wrap a cookie sheet in plastic wrap and spread the pureed fruit, keeping at least two inches from each edge.
The fruit should be between 1/8th and 1/4 inch thick. Place in a 175 degree oven with the door cracked and wait. Wait some more. Hang in there, it’s going to be a while.
At the 3 hour mark check the leather. It should be slightly tacky and will pull away from the plastic wrap, cleanly. Using a knife or pizza cutter, cut into strips and enjoy. As I was only experimenting I made a very small batch. However, made in large batches fruit leather will stay fresh in an airtight container for thirty days or in the freezer for a year.
Enjoy the taste of spring until the next crop arrives.
