fruit leather

(pictured: Ariana's rendition with the added cranberry sauce and banana)
This Christmas my sister from Ohio sent us home made fruit leather and it was a big hit with this crowd. I asked her for the recipe and have made it four times already. This stuff disappears around here! I especially like that it just has a few simple ingredients (as opposed to fruit roll-ups from the store). The cooking times vary quite a bit depending on how thick you spread these out and the type of fruit you use, so I just plan on starting a batch in the morning when I don't have to go anywhere and check it periodically. Most batches have taken 4-6 hours.

Ingredients:

about 4 medium apples

1 Tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

water

*Wash, peel, and chop 4 cups of apples (about 4 medium). 

*Place apples in a saucepan and add 1/2 cup water. Bring to a simmer then cover and cook about 10 minutes or until soft.

*Add sugar and cinnamon. Mash in pot. Cook 2-3 more minutes on low heat, stirring occasionally.

*Pour mixture into blender and process until smooth. Pour onto a baking sheet lined with a baking mat or with parchment paper. Spread into a thin layer with a spatula.

 *Once it is spread, you can whack the baking sheet on the counter a few times to get the mixture even.

 *Bake at 170 degrees for 4-6 hours or until it's tacky but doesn't stick to your finger. Place onto waxed paper and cut into strips. Roll-up and store in air tight container.

Ariana's Rendition:

Follow the above recipe, but add a banana and 1/2 can of cranberry sauce when you puree everything in the blender. You may need to add a little more water, too, if the mixture is too thick. Since this mixture is thicker, it can take longer to cook (6-8 hours).

Original recipe found HERE.