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Fruit Leathers

by Steve Yee

Do you have fruit in your kitchen that's ripening quicker than you can eat it? Puree it and use in for fruit leathers. You can also freeze the purreed fruit in a plastic freezer zipper bag and use it later on.

Select ripe or slightly overripe fruit. Wash fresh fruit or berries in cool water. Remove peel, seeds, and stem. Cut fruit into chunks. Use 2 cups of fruit for each 13-inch by 15-inch fruit leather. Purse fruit until smooth. Add 2 teaspoons of lemon juice or 1/8 teaspoon ascorbic acid (375 mg.) for each 2 cups of light-colored fruit to prevent darkening.

If you choose to sweeten the leather, add corn syrup, honey, or sugar. Corn syrup or honey is best for longer storage because they do not crystallize. Sugar is fine for immediate use or short storage. Use 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups sugar, corn syrup, or honey for each 2 cups of fruit.

Ingredients:
ripe or slightly overripe fruit
2 teaspoons of lemon juice or 1/8 teaspoon ascorbic acid
Corn syrup or honey

Cookware:
13-inch by 15-inch cookie pan
plastic wrap

Instructions:

1. For drying in the oven, a 13-inch by 15-inch cookie pan with edges works well. Line pan with plastic wrap, being careful to smooth out wrinkles. Do not use waxed paper or aluminum foil.

2. Pouring the Leather - Fruit leathers can be poured into a single large sheet (13-inch by 15-inch) or into several smaller sizes pieces. Spread puree evenly, about 1/8-inch thick, onto drying tray. Avoid pouring purse too close to the edge of the cookie sheet. The larger fruit leathers take longer to dry. Approximate drying times are 6 to 8 hours in a dehydrator, up to 18 hours in an oven, and 1 to 2 days in the sun.

3. Drying the Leather - Dry fruit leathers at l40 degrees F. Leather dries from the outside edge toward the center. Test for dryness by touching center of leather; no indention should be evident. While warm, peel leather from plastic and roll. Then, allow the leather to cool and rewrap the roll in plastic.

Ideas: Chances are the fruit leather won't last long enough for storage. If it does, it will keep up to 1 month at room temperature. For storage up to 1 year, place tightly wrapped rolls in the freezer.

Make your own sun dried tomatoes. They're great for backpacking. Turn oven on lowest setting. Halve or quarter tomatoes and sprinkle with equal parts salt and sugar. Bake until shriveled and slightly tough - about 12 to 14 hours.