Ombre Fruit Leather Recipes

STRAWBERRY FRUIT LEATHER

Steps:

• Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 175 degrees F. Line a 17-by-12-inch baking sheet with a silicone baking mat.
• Put the strawberries, honey and lemon juice in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour the puree into a saucepan, bring it to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes.
• Pour the puree onto the prepared baking sheet and spread it out almost to the edges, ensuring it's thin and even. Pay particular attention to ensure the middle is thin. Bake until the puree is set, about 5 hours. Let cool completely.
• Lay a sheet of parchment on top of the fruit leather. Invert the leather and gently peel off the mat. Cut the leather into 7 strips. Gently roll up each strip starting from the short end, then tie with twine. Store in an airtight container or package in cellophane bags.

STRAWBERRY FRUIT LEATHER

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 170 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat sheet, set aside.
• Place strawberries and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook for 3-4 minutes until berries being to soften. Puree berries using an immersion blender or food processor. Return puree to saucepan, stir in sugar and honey. Cook for an additional 10 minutes or until thick and syrupy. Pour the hot fruit mixture on to prepared pan and spread out into an even layer. Place in the oven to dry for 3 hours. Turn off the oven and allow to sit overnight to dry completely. Cut into 1-inch strips with a pizza cutter and peel away from paper or Silpat sheet. Roll up strips and store in an airtight container for up to 4 weeks.

HOW TO MAKE FRUIT LEATHER

Steps:

• Clean and prep the fruit: Rinse the fruit. If you're working with stone fruit, take out the pits. Chop the fruit. If you're working with apples or pears, peel and core them, then chop. If working with grapes, de-stem them. Taste the fruit before proceeding. Note how sweet the fruit is. If very sweet (ripe Concord grapes, for example) you won't need to add any sugar. If still a little tart, you may need to add some sugar in the next step.
• Boil the fruit with water, then mash: Place the fruit in a large saucepan. Add 1/2 cup of water for every 4 cups of chopped fruit. Bring to a simmer, cover, and let cook on a low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the fruit is cooked through. Uncover and stir. Use a potato masher to mash up the fruit in the pan.
• Season with sugar and spices, if desired: Taste the fruit and determine how much sugar, lemon juice, or spices to add. If needed, add the sugar in small amounts (1 tablespoon at a time), to your desired level of sweetness. Add lemon juice 1 teaspoon at a time to help brighten the flavor of the fruit. Add a pinch or two of cinnamon, nutmeg, or other spices to augment the flavor, if you'd like. Continue to simmer and stir until any added sugar is completely dissolved and the fruit purée has thickened, another 5 or 10 (or more) minutes.
• Purée the cooked fruit: Put the mashed fruit through a food mill or chinoise. Alternatively, purée the fruit thoroughly in a blender or food processor. The purée should be very smooth. Taste again and adjust the sugar/lemon/spices, if necessary.

FRUIT LEATHER

Steps:

• Mix 1/3 cup no-sugar-added fruit preserves with 1 teaspoon cornstarch. Spread into a 2-by-12-inch strip on greased parchment; bake 45 minutes at 225 degrees F. Cool, then trim the parchment and roll up.

PINEAPPLE-BERRY DEHYDRATOR FRUIT LEATHER

Steps:

• Combine the raspberries, strawberries and 1/2 cup applesauce in a blender and blend until very smooth. Strain through a fine mesh sieve and transfer to a medium bowl or measuring cup.
• Combine the pineapple and remaining 1/2 cup applesauce in the blender and blend until very smooth.
• Put one nonperforated dehydrator insert on a work surface. Pour the pineapple puree onto the insert in random dots. Pour the berry puree onto the insert to fill the remaining space, making sure not to overlap too much with the pineapple (it will create thicker layers that won't dry properly). Gently shake the insert to evenly spread the puree all the way to the sides. Use a spoon or offset spatula to thin out any thick spots.
• Place the insert in a dehydrator and dry according to the manufacturer's instructions at 125 degrees F until the fruit puree is dry to the touch, matte and no longer shiny, about 12 hours (times may vary depending on the machine). Test with your fingers to make sure it is dry all over. Let cool at room temperature for 5 minutes. Use a butter knife to loosen the fruit leather from the insert and slowly peel away.
• Cut or tear the leather into pieces and store in an airtight container up to a week.

BERRY STUDDED APPLE FRUIT LEATHER

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 170 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment, making sure there is an overhang. Spray the parchment with cooking spray.
• Place the apples, juice, cinnamon and a pinch of salt into a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples have softened, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside. Pulse the apple mixture in a food processor until smooth and free of any large pieces. Using a ladle, pass the apple puree through a fine-mesh strainer. Set aside.
• Meanwhile, place the blueberries, sugar, lemon zest and 1/4 cup water into a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the berries soften and burst, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and crush the berries into a coarse puree using a potato masher. Set aside.
• Using an offset spatula, spread the apple puree evenly over the prepared baking sheet. Tap the baking sheet once or twice on the countertop to settle any air bubbles. Using a small spoon, spread the blueberry mixture in thin diagonal lines across the apple puree. Tap the baking sheet again to remove any remaining air bubbles.
• Bake, until the surface is smooth and no longer sticky, 3 to 4 hours, then let cool 20 minutes. Remove the parchment from the baking sheet and flip over to peel the paper away from the fruit leather. Slice the fruit leather into 16 long strips, 1-inch wide. Roll each strip in wax paper and store in an airtight container.

GRAPE FRUIT LEATHER

Steps:

• Puree the grapes in a blender or food processor, in batches if necessary, until very smooth. Pour the puree into a fine sieve and press hard with a spatula to extract as much juice as possible. Puree the grapes again and put them back into the sieve. Press again and reserve the juice for another recipe. There should be about 2 cups of grape puree.
• Pour the puree into a small saucepan with the sugar and lemon juice and bring to a boil. Simmer, stirring often and scraping the sides, until the puree turns glossy and darkens slightly, about 30 to 45 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 200°F using convection mode if available. Line a large-rimmed baking sheet with a silicon baking sheet. Pour the puree onto the mat and spread into an 1/8-inch thickness using an offset spatula, leaving a 1-inch border of space around the edge. Bake 1½ to 3 hours, rotating the tray halfway through, until the puree is tacky and not quite dried in the center. Let stand at room temperature until fruit leather peels easily from the tray, 24 hours to 48 hours.
• Place a piece of parchment paper over the fruit leather and invert. Peel off the silicon baking sheet and starting at the long end, roll up the fruit leather and parchment. Using scissors or a sharp knife, cut the fruit leather roll into 1-inch segments. Store in a resealable plastic bag for up to 1 week at room temperature or 2 to 3 months in the freezer.