Homemade Fruit Leather If you find yourself with an abundance of berries this season try this kid-friendly snack. Fruit leather is a healthy treat, and children will love that you can make fruit rollups right at home. We used strawberries in this recipe, but you can easily substitute another fruit.
Ingredients: 4 cups strawberries, stems/leaves removed and chopped 2 tablespoons honey (optional)
Directions Preheat the oven to 150-200 degrees. (Our oven’s lowest setting was 175 degrees, so we cooked at that temperature.) Line a baking sheet (we used an 11-by-15 cookie sheet) with parchment paper. In a blender or food processor, puree berries and honey until smooth. Pour the berry mixture onto the parchment lined pan. Spread the mixture with a spatula to a thin, even layer. Bake for about 5-6 hours, until leather peels away easily from the parchment. Set on a rack to fully cool down for at least 4 hours or overnight. Use scissors to cut the parchment paper into strips. Roll to make fruit roll-ups. Store fruit leather in an air-tight container for up to two weeks.
Notes:
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• When spreading the berry mixture, make sure the middle isn’t too thick. Also be careful not to spread it too thin, or your leather will be crispy. • As ovens vary, you’ll want to check the fruit leather after about 3.5-4 hours of baking, and then every half hour or so. • Do not use wax paper in place of parchment paper. It will melt into the fruit.
Laurie Silva Collins, known affectionately as Goose by her grandkids, is a nurse, mother and grandmother who is happiest when she’s in the kitchen, cooking and baking for those she loves. She learned to cook from her parents, and has perfected her recipes over the years while raising three daughters… and spoiling seven grandchildren. BAYSTATEPARENT 9
