How to Make Fruit Leather in the Oven

Fruit leather is a nutritious snack made solely of fruit. With only a few kitchen appliances and your fruit of choice, fruit leather can be prepared easily at home. Due to the long drying time, an entire day should be dedicated to preparation of the fruit leather. This recipe produces two 12-by-17 inch sheets of fruit leather.

Things You'll Need

• Fresh fruit of choice
• Knife
• Double boiler
• Blender
• Deep saucepan
• Wax paper
• Baking pan
• Freezer bag

Instructions

1. Wash and remove stems from 2 lbs. of the fruit of choice. Cut off all bruises and blemishes using a knife. Remove the skin and seeds from the chosen fruit, leaving only the fleshy meat.

2. Slice the fruit into small chunks and place in the top of the double boiler. Cover the fruit and cook it over the boiling water for 15 minutes. Remove the fruit from the boiler and allow it to cool to room temperature.

3. Place the fruit in the blender and puree until the fruit is a smooth, creamy texture. Pour the puree into the deep saucepan and cook on low heat until it thickens. Stir constantly while the puree is cooking, then remove it from the heat and allow it to cool to room temperature.

4. Use wax paper to line two 12-by-17 inch baking pans. Pour the puree onto the baking pans. A thickness of 1/8 to 1/4 inch is desirable. Each pan should hold about 2 cups of puree. Preheat the oven to the lowest temperature possible.

5. Place the baking pans into the oven and leave the oven door ajar to allow air and moisture to escape. Allow the puree to dry for 4 to 8 hours. Rotate the pans every hour. The total time of drying varies depending on the type of fruit, the amount of fruit and the humidity in the region.

6. Remove the fruit leather from the oven when it feels tacky but no longer contains any moisture. Allow it to cool to room temperature, and then roll the wax paper up like a scroll with the leather inside. Cut 1-inch strips in the roll and place the pieces in freezer bags. Store the fruit leather in a cool, dry place.

Tips & Warnings

• A variety of flavors can be used to make fruit leather. Try mixing fruits, spices and other ingredients in the puree to make a unique and delicious treat. Some fruits that work well to make fruit leather include apples, apricots, bananas, cherries, raspberries, strawberries, pineapples, plums, tangerines, pears and grapes. Any of these can be combined or used singly in the above recipe. Fruit can be pureed uncooked by simply placing fruit chunks in the blender and choosing the appropriate speed. This method is faster, but robs the fruit of some of its natural flavor and color.