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Preparing Fruit
Leathers
Fruit Leathers
are
tasty chewy candy-like products (tasty variation of dried fruits) which
are made by pureeing almost any type of fresh fruits in a blender or
food
processor.
The fruit puree can be sweetened with honey or corn syrup,
and
spices, nuts, or coconut flakes can be sprinkled on top.
The thick
pureed
fruit is poured onto a dehydrator tray lined with 4 mil food grade
plastic
and dried. The puree layer should not be more than 1/4-inch thick.
Leave
about 1 inch border around the puree to allow for spreading during
drying.
It usually takes 6 to 8 hours to dry fruit leathers. Fruit Leathers can
be eaten as is, or they can be reconstituted and used in many dishes.
They
will keep longest in the refrigerator or freezer.
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Did You Know?
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Fruit
leather is made by drying thin layers of pureed fruit in the oven or
dehydrator. Sometimes called fruit rolls or taffies, fruit leathers
make delicious, wholesome and nutritious high-energy snacks for
backpackers, campers and active children. They are relatively light in
weight, easy to prepare and a good way to use left-over canned fruit
and slightly over-ripe fresh fruit.
Fruit leathers can be eaten as is, or made into a beverage by combining
5 parts water with 1 part leather in a food blender. They also can be
used in pie fillings, in cooking and as a dessert topping. Most fruit
or combinations of fruits can be used.
Apricots, apples, grapes, berries, bananas, pineapples, oranges, pears,
peaches, plums, melons, and most tropical fruits can be blended and
dried to make fruit leathers. Grapefruit and lemons are not recommended
because they turn bitter when dried.
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