Okay, let’s talk fruit leather. It’s a delicious, healthy treat that almost all kids love. But, did you know that it’s super easy to make your own at home? Keep on reading to find out all the details you need to know about making fruit leather in dehydrator.
Okay, let’s find out how to make fruit leathers in a dehydrator with these simple tips and tricks and a handy recipe. Be warned though. You’ll have to get ready for some serious deliciousness!
How to Make Fruit Leather in a Food Dehydrator
Not everybody knows and understands what fruit leather is. If you are among the many people who don’t know about the term, you are on the right site. Here, we present to you some information about fruit leathers, how they are made and some tips to make them more delicious and healthier. It is also known or called a fruit roll. It is usually homemade, although you can buy prepared ones but they often contain a lot of sugar.
Easy to Make with a Dehydrator
Many people love eating fruit leathers as they are dried and chewy fruits. Despite the growing demand for this kind of dried food, a lot of individuals still do not know how to make fruit leather. Basically, you need a food dehydrator to make a roll.
To make it pour some pureed fruit on a flat pan to dry. When fully dried, you can already pull and roll it from the surface. The term leather came about because of the fact that once the pureed fruit becomes completely dry, it turns shiny that it has the texture of leather.
- Designed in California. Comes with 6 Stainless Steel Trays, 1 Mesh Screen, 1 Fruit Roll Sheet, 1...
- STAINLESS STEEL - Made with food-grade stainless steel and glass front door. this dehydrator is...
- EASY TO USE - Use the digital control panel to set the timer in 30-minute increments for up to 48...
- QUIET TO USE - Simply press the start button to dehydrate your food and go to sleep. The noise is...
- SAFE TO USE - Tray liners are 100% BPA-FREE. Auto shut off kicks in right when the timer ends....
No Sugar Added
It is advantageous to make this special treat at home as it is more economical and healthier. You only need less sugar for this. Therefore, diabetic people can also enjoy a roll.
Are you ready to make fruit leather using a food dehydrator? Read on to know how to do it!
Food Dehydrator Fruit Leather Recipe
- Choose a completely ripe or a little overripe fruit
- Wash the fruit of your choice in cool water
- Peel the fruit (fruit peeler recommendations here) and remove the seeds and stem (if any)
- Cut the fruit into chunk sizes
- Use about two cups of fruit of your choice for every 13 x 15-inch fruit leather
- Puree the fruit until the texture becomes smooth.
- Add about two teaspoons of lemon juice; you can also substitute the lemon juice with about 1/8 teaspoon of ascorbic acid for every two cups to avoid a change in colour.
- You may also opt to add sugar, corn syrup or honey to sweeten your leather. We highly recommend the use of honey or corn for longer-term storage to avoid the occurrence of crystals.
To Pour the Leather:
As we mentioned earlier, pour the fruit mixture onto a large flat pan, about 13 x 15-inch big. You can also pour onto numerous small amounts.
Spread evenly on a drying tray. Here’s the tip: do not pour the puree too close to the flat pan’s edge. More so, remember that the larger it becomes, the longer it takes to dry.
The typical drying period is about six to eight hours with a dehydrator. To dry the leather, set the dehydrator at about 140°F.
Usually, the leather dries first from the outer part going to the center. You can test the dryness by feeling the center part of it.
Roll and wrap the leather using plastic. You can store fruit leathers for up to one month at room temperature. If you want to keep it for up to one year, tightly roll the leathers and place them in the freezer.
How to Make Fruit Leather
Do you want to see how it’s done? Then you’ll need to check out this short video filled with all sorts of tips and tricks for making this popular kids’s snack at home:
Fruit Leather FAQs
There are a number of common questions that people have about making fruit leather in a dehydrator. Here are the answers to some of the most popular ones.
Are Fruit Leathers Healthy?
Although fruit leather sounds like a healthy snack, the ones you buy from the store have lots of added sugar and even some artificial ingredients. Making your own food dehydrator fruit leather is healthier but it can still contain a lot of calories and sugar in a single serving. Whole fruits are always a better snack option.
What is Fruit Leather Made Of?
Fruit leather is made from fruit that is pureed and then dried. You can buy it in a store where it’s often known as a fruit roll-up, or you can make your own using a food dehydrator.
How Long do Fruit Leathers Last?
Fruit leathers last for about a month at room temperature when rolled and wrapped in plastic. If you don’t plan on eating them within that amount of time, place the rolls that are tightly wrapped in the freezer.
Why is my Fruit Leather Cracking?
Some recipes for homemade fruit leather call for it to be cooked in the oven at a very low temperature overnight. This can lead to cracking because it gets too dry. Use a food dehydrator for best results because you can more carefully control the drying process.
How Long Does it Take to Dehydrate Fruit Leather?
How long it takes to dehydrate fruit leather depends on the method used to dry it. It takes around 6-8 hours in a dehydrator, 12-18 hours in the oven or 1-2 days in the sun. A food dehydrator will usually produce the best results as you can carefully control the drying process.
Can I Use Parchment Paper in my Dehydrator for Fruit Leather?
You can use parchment paper in a dehydrator when making fruit leather. It’s the perfect way to prevent it from sticking to the trays and it also makes dehydrator clean-up much easier. It’s easy to cut parchment paper to fit any size of trays.
Can you Rehydrate Fruit Leather?
It’s not possible to rehydrate fruit leather if it’s too crispy. However, you can break it into pieces and have fruit chards. Or, consider reheating it again and then rolling it up.
Can you Make Fruit Leather from Canned Fruit?
Making fruit leather is an ideal way to use excessive fresh fruit. However, it’s also possible to make it with canned fruit of almost any variety. Just don’t use the accompanying sugar syrup that it’s often packed in.
How do you Thicken Fruit Leather?
If you want to thicken fruit leather, consider adding applesauce or banana. They also decrease the tartness and make it smoother.
Which Food Dehydrator do you Recommend?
Did we attract you with our easy how-to’s of making fruit leathers in a food dehydrator? If we did, you must have invested in a food dehydrator already.
For those who don’t have one yet, we recommend that you get one now. It needs not be very expensive but it should be of the best quality.
At such a reasonable price you can make some in the four drying trays included in this food dehydrator. It even has fruit roll sheets that are so perfect for your special snack.
Or, you can check out all of our top picks below:
Waste Less Food by Making Fruit Leather
Do you have a bunch of ripe fruit that you’re scared is going to go to waste? It’s such a shame, but the good news is that it’s super easy to use it up with one of these delicious recipes. Check out the video below to find out everything you need to know about not wasting food at your house:
Have your Say about How to Make Fruit Leather
Do you have any tips or tricks for making delicious snack in a dehydrator (or oven)? Or, do you like to make other dried foods? Leave a comment below and let us know what you think. We’d really love to hear from you.
Also be sure to give this article a share on Facebook, Pinterest, or Twitter. It’ll help other home cooking enthusiasts, like yourself find this useful resource.
Last update on 2021-04-09 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API