Description
Whether you use a dehydrator or your oven, fruit leather is a great way to use up less-than-perfect fruit.
Scale
Ingredients
- 4 cups ripe peaches
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger root (optional)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon honey
Instructions
Dehydrator
- Line 2 dehydrator trays with fruit leather sheets lightly coated with vegetable oil. Set dehydrator according to manufacturer instructions. Mine has a “fruit” setting at 135°F.
Oven
- Line a large rimmed baking pan with a silicone mat. Preheat oven to its lowest setting (usually 140 to 175°F).
Dehydrator or oven
- Peel and chop peaches, removing bruises and soft spots. Purée the peaches, lemon juice, ginger, vanilla and honey in a blender or food processor until smooth. Taste. Add more honey if needed. A lot depends on how sweet your peaches are to begin with, so go by taste.
- Pour fruit purée onto prepared sheets / pan to about 1/4-inch thick. Spread with a spatula if the fruit purée doesn’t self-level. Save left-over purée for a smoothie. Resist the temptation to pour extra-thick purée. The leather will crack and not dry out properly.
- Cook, undisturbed for 6 to 12 hours, or until the fruit is dry to the touch yet pliable.
- While still warm, turn the fruit leather onto a fresh sheet of parchment paper. Cut it into wedges (for dehydrator trays) or strips (for baking pan), roll and store in an airtight container. I have no idea how long it keeps since all the roll-ups were eaten within 2 days.