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Fruit Leathers

Fruit leathers have been made since the middle ages as a way of preserving fruit for the winter months.  They are delicious, easy to make and also great for snacks and lunch boxes.  They can be made with frozen or fresh fruit and will last for months stored in an airtight container.

Fruit Leathers    (age 5+ with an adult)

Preparation time 20 minutes, cooking time 2-6 hours.

Raspberry Leathers

500g raspberries
25g fruit sugar or fructose

Blend the fruit to a pulp, sieve to remove the seeds, add the sugar and heat gently to dissolve the sugar.  Spread the mixture evenly and thinly on baking parchment or silicone paper on a baking tray.  Bake in a very low oven 70oc/gas 1/ simmering oven of an AGA until the fruit is a little tacky and peels off in one go.  This can be anything from 90 minutes in an AGA simmering oven to 8 hours (overnight) in a very low oven with the door left slightly agar.  Leave to cool, cut into strips and either store with a light sprinkling of cornflour in an airtight container or roll up and wrap in cellowrap, silicone paper or similar for presents.

Strawberry and Banana Leathers

400g strawberries, hulled
3 banana

Blend the fruit to a pulp, the strawberry pips are so small that I don’t bother sieving them.  Continue as above

Apple and Blackcurrant Leathers

600g apples, roughly chopped, cores removed, skins left on
150g blackcurrants
25g fruit sugar or fructose

Cook fruit and sugar until soft, sieve to remove the skins and stray apple pips and continue as before

 

©Beverley Glock