DIY Fruit Leather - Friday Foods

 Hi Friends!
Today we are making Fruit Leather. If you are scratching your head, think of "Fruit Roll Ups" or "Fruit by the Foot". Ours, however, has more fruit and less sugar. Actually the 2 cups of pureed fruit only takes 1/2 cup of sugar! How's that for nutritious and deliciously healthy! And we made some with homegrown Stevia & Cherries that was just as delicious!
I have this day under Friday Foods, but it is really Monday, I got a new stove (used) and we can't figure out the electronic oven. It won't come on, nor will all the lights, so it is a Monday and a Friday Post!
Here is the recipe I used from Allrecipes.com, due to my location, Western Colorado, it took 10 hours for my Apricot Fruity Rolls to be dried enough not to be sticky. The Cherry Fruity Rolls took 10 hrs and next time I will strain out more of the juice before I start. The juice will go into the Jams!

Ingredients

6 h 30 m

• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 2 cups pitted and diced fresh apricots

• 1/2 cup white sugar  
• Full Recipe HERE 
  

I found this recipe to be perfect for making large batches. Since it is Apricot time in our area, I made an 8 cup batch of apricot puree and used lime juice (I ran out of lemon juice) and it worked out perfectly.

Here is a photographic step by step on how I made my DIY Fruit Leather.

Bring puree, sugar and lemon to a slight boil stirring until the sugar is dissolved.

Put saran/clear wrap onto the cookie sheet. I ended up using a measuring cup.

Spread puree mix to 1inch of all sides. This makes it easier to roll and peel off the plastic wrap.

I also used wax paper to help it from sticking. However, we use a "Swamp Cooler"; strange name, for cooling and it added extra moisture to the fruit leather. See the photo below, this just makes a sticky chew when cut. Not easy to get unstuck!!

Then I tried the wax paper, which when rolled worked great. Then I tried to peel it off the paper and that was a mess also. So...

I added the arrowroot or corn starch and lightly dusted the top. Then I dusted the bottom and rolled up the leather.

Cutting the leather with a Pizza Cutter worked like a charm. But DON'T put your hand on the blade to push it down through the leather. I caught myself many times on this.

Add some of the arrowroot or corn starch to the wheel and it works very well.

I cut them in about 1inch slices, this way it was easy to pop into the container and an easy treat too!

For a measured snack for Grandma, who is diabetic, I put four "rolled leathers" and said to eat one as a treat after a meal. But the rest, which she did get into, were placed in a container in a dry place.
I've enjoyed working on this delicious project and hope you do too!

I hope you got inspired to make some of your own Fruit leather today!!
Enjoy!