Do any of you make fruit leather? Any recipes?
As my "food forest" matures, I need to find more & better ways to preserve my harvest. I have a large capacity dehydrator and a cider press, so I make a lot of dried fruit and fruit juices. But I would like to try making some fruit leather.
I am specifically interested in mixing various types of fruit to make a good fruit leather. Also any "special ingredients" e.g. pectin, honey, sugar, etc.
Here is a list of what I will have ripening from now into November:
- Aronia berries (TONS)
- Apples (many varieties)
- Plums
- Cornelian cherries (several varieties)
- Grapes (TONS, many varieties)
- Sea buckthorn AKA seaberry
- Figs (many varieties)
- Hardy kiwi
Any thoughts on what fruit I should mix with what? Ratios? I know pectin helps to "firm up" the mix, so I am inclined to include Cornelian cherries in every mix.
I plan to just separate the pits, put the fruit mix in a blender, pour the mix into silicone trays, and put those on the metal trays in my dehydrator.
Here is my dehydrator:
Here are the silicone trays I just ordered:
Nice dryer. I have a cheap plastic one that I have put to use this week. But it needs replacing so hopefully you don't mind telling me when your going to be using yours so I can see it myself. I have a change in my cellphone so the best way may be to PM me.
In exchange for some ideas I have these early cropping pears that ended up very ideal slicers and flavorful after 10 hours heat drying them. I did mine twice where yours could have done it once and probably faster. Mine's rated at 250 watts and this one gallon baggie picture contains almost a level equivalency to 1.5 gallons when in freshly harvested condition. I shared a few fresh with Jafar recently but he would not be impressed with any quality until dried like mine. Jafar is a good source of information about fruit of course because of his involvement at past fruit tasting. I bought a few 'bosc' on account of his recommendations that old boscs when getting really soft are optimal for this drying.
Idyllwild
simplepress
jafar
Marsha H
Viron
John S
1 Guest(s)