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• Optional: To sweeten, add corn syrup, honey or sugar. Corn syrup or
honey is best for longer storage because it prevents crystals. Sugar is
fine for immediate use or short storage. Use ¼ to ½ cup sugar, corn
syrup or honey for each 2 cups of fruit.
Leathers From Canned or Frozen Fruit
• Home preserved or store-bought canned or frozen fruit can be used.
• Drain fruit, save liquid.
• Use 1 pint of fruit per tray.
• Puree fruit until smooth. If thick, add liquid.
• 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.
• Applesauce can be dried alone or added to any fresh fruit pureé as an
extender. It decreases tartness and makes the leather smoother and
more pliable.
Drying Fruit Leather
Fruit leather trays can be sprayed lightly with a cooking spray, to keep the
fruit leather from sticking.
Spread pureé evenly, about 1/8 - 1/4 inch thick, onto fruit leather trays.
Avoid overfilling the trays.
Leather dries from the outside edge toward the center. Test for dryness by
touching the center of the leather; no indentation should be evident. While
warm, peel from the trays and place on plastic wrap. Roll up the leather in
the plastic wrap, allow to cool, then tightly rewrap the roll in plastic.
Storing Fruit Leather
The leather will keep up to 1 month at room temperature. It will keep
3-6 months in the refrigerator and up to one year in the freezer. In all
cases, be sure to wrap the leather tightly in plastic wrap before storage as
recommended in the previous section.
