Adventures in Fruit Leather

After a failed attempt at making prunes over a week ago, it took a while for me to build up enough gumption to try and make fruit leather from what is left of the plum harvest from our tree this year.

Yesterday, I looked at the basket and two bowls of plums on the kitchen table and realized that if I didn't do something with them, they would go bad (I've had my fill of fresh plums this season).

So, as I approach many of my "projects", I had to dive right in while I still felt the nerve and drive to do it. I knew if I waited, that the mood would pass, and I'd still have the same basket and two bowls of plums as well as a nagging thought that I'd chickened out.

Following the instructions that came with our Nesco dehydrator, I pureed the pitted plums (skins and all) in the blender until smooth. I sweetened the mixture to taste with corn syrup (apparently granulated sugar will make it brittle). Then I poured the mixture on the one plastic tray for making fruit leather that came with the unit. I had quite a bit of mixture left over in the blender and didn't want to do only one trayful, so I used another tier of the dehydrator as a template and cut out a "tray" out of parchment paper (I was feeling adventurous).

The dehydration took a little longer than expected (probably because my mixture was poured out a little too deep), but the result is exactly what I wanted! Believe it or not, the parchment paper tray was done in far less time. I liked the result better too.

I've now successfully produced my favorite flavor of fruit leather--plum! Now I am much more confident with the process and plan on turning the rest of the plums into fruit leather as well.

And as an endnote... I thought of my friend Emiline over at Visions of Sugar Plum the entire time I did this as well as when I was taking the photos. So, Emiline, this plummy post is dedicated to you!



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8 comments:

  1. Don't we just love all the gadgets we have in our kitchens! I am in the process of drying apricots with my Nesco food dehydrator... Yay Wal-Mart. I may try some fruit leather next.

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  2. I never tasted fruit leather or heard of it for that matter. It looks very good and healthy. I am glad it turned out for you. Hope your weekend is a great one.

    Hugs;
    Alaura

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  3. Yay! It's dedicated to me!
    Those plums look magnificent! I can't tell you how jealous I am that you have a plum tree. I've always wanted a fruit tree in my yard.
    The fruit leather looks really good. I would love to try this. We have a dehydrator, so I'll have to try.

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  4. oh yummmm (:) look delish ~~
    Don't you just love this time of year and all the good produce~~
    hugs Patty

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  5. I wish you well. I tried, tried being the operative word canning figs a couple of weeks ago. I kept smelling something bad in the pantry. Apparently my figs fermented, it made a huge mess.

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  6. That actually looks very easy and like something I could do. I may be making some cherry leather soon.

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  7. Oh, I would like a food dryer one day, it never occurred to me to make fruit leather, what a great idea! Impressed.

    ReplyDelete

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