These are brilliant to make in the winter, OK it’s getting warmer but it’s still not there to turn on your oven and get pureeing, these are really good and although they do contain sugar they’re slightly healthier than sweets
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
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 sugar, heat gently to dissolve the sugar and spread 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 the fruit and sugar until soft, sieve to remove the skins and stray apple pips and continue as before
©Beverley Glock