Food & Fun Recipes

Fruit Leather

Ingredients

• cookie sheet
• plastic wrap
• tape
• small pieces of fruit—apple, grape, peach, plum, apricot, etc.

Instruction

1. Line a cookie sheet with a plastic wrap and tape the edges. (Do not use wax paper or aluminum foil.)
2. Place small pieces of fruit in a blender. Puree until smooth and thin enough to pour. (Some fruits, like apples and grapes, make a smoother puree if they are cooked with a little water first.)
3. Pour onto the prepared cookie sheet. Tilt pan to spread evently until it is ⅛- to ¼-inch thick. Leave at least 1 onch around the edges so the plastic wrap can be removed. Make smaller pieces of fruit leather by pouring puree into small "pancakes."
4. Dry the fruit leather in a warm oven (140 degrees). Leave the door open 2 to 6 inches. Fruit will dry in 4 to 6 hours. If the oven is too hot, it will begin to cook the fruit. If it is too cool, it may not dry fast enough.
5. Dry it until it is still rubbery. The center should not be sticky. Remove the leather from the tray while it is still warm. Peel away the plastic wrap, and roll up the leather.
6. Wrap the leather in plastic or put it in an airtight bag or container.