Apple-Berry Leathers with my Soulmate
Do you believe in Soulmates? And in love at first sight?
Cheesy as it sounds, it happens. That dreamy feeling, as though you’ve finally found exactly what you’ve been missing your whole life. You wake up thinking about it, hardly able to wait for the next time you can be together, the feeling of not being able to imagine being in another place more perfect than the one you’re in when you’re with your Other Half?
Until suddenly, without warning, some time passes, and you’re bitterly disappointed to find that the sparkle has become a bit more lackluster…and you find yourself spending less energy and less time…your “other half” just isn’t what you had originally thought..
…and you find yourself packing it away to the back of your cabinets.
Unless you really, really love that shiny new toy. It has something about it that’s different, more exciting, and, you find yourself falling farther and more hopelessly in love. It is then that you realize, you’ve found your Soulmate.
I found my Soulmate.
OK, fine I’ve got a couple.
One is in the form of the shiny, candy-apple red KitchenAide Mixer that has a permanent home on my countertop. That one, while very attractive, the looks are not what attracted me to it; it’s the personality. It gives me experiences I didn’t even know were possible. It’s helped me figure out methods of doughs and cookies, breads, and confections. It encourages me to push my comfort level, and helps me be a more well-versed and well-rounded person in the kitchen. I love and appreciate my Mixer for helping me gain these qualities.
My second soulmate…well, that one was gift-wrapped under the tree for me. He and I have more of a ”love at first sight” relationship. Smitten from the moment I laid eyes on it, we’ve been inseperable from the get-go. My beautiful, beautiful new love, my 12-tray food dehydrator.
I have been crazily out of the house for the past couple of days, but I did get a chance to play around a bit on Christmas and the day after, and got to experiment with a fun new recipe…my kids love it, and so do I.
Watch how I make fruit leathers in this video:
And the results? Perfect : )
Fruit Roll perfection! (And the kid is pretty perfect, too!)
Oh and a couple of tips:
1. This is not a fully supportive food alone- add a handful of nuts for a supportive snack, or a chobani yogurt and shred some of the leathers on top, or eat on the side.
2. While the variety and combinations are fun, try to keep the ones you eat as berry, and apple concoctions. Use other fruits minimally, or keep it to straight-up, unsweetened applesauce.
3. The edges of the leathers tend to dry first, so keep the edges thicker with the fruit sauce you spread, and the inside thinner, so they come out even. Otherwise, you’ll end up with edges that crack (too dry) and middles that are still not done. You want the leathers to be pliable but not wet, bendy without cracking.
Related posts:
- Jazzed up fruit salad
- Apple Stuffed Butternut Squash
- Pie in a glass will melt away your…stomach :)
- 20 Quick & Supportive Snacks
- Berry Yummy Ice Cream Cake
MikeMoffit
I do love my Kitchenaid mixer. But my Cuisinart processor truly has my heart. I’ve had it for longer than you can imagine, (it’s older than you, Nedah), and we’ve done everything you can possibly imagine together ; ) Baked, chopped, salsa’s, puree’s, soups, on and on and on. It’s getting a little old, (as am I), but we are totally, irrevocably connected, forever. My beautiful mixer is just a little jealous in that it does not have a permanent place on the counter, though I do bring it out this time of year with much joy. You just have to make choices. As for the dehydrator, I am totally thinking about getting one, though I’d like to to be compact so I can tuck it away. I totally love fruit leathers!!!
Cathy
How long do you leave them in the dehydrator?
Hi Monica,
It very much depends on the number of trays, what’s in them, etc.
I did 3 trays of just applesauce and it took about 4 hours, later I did about 8 trays, some with applesauce, some with banana and berry concoctions. The more trays and the more ingredients within (more moist fruits as opposed to, say, a banana which has less moisture) is what it depends on. Also, your manual of the dehydrator says the amount and temperature..I used 135-140 degrees. That’s why I answered so vaguely about it being done when it’s pliable, dry, and not brittle.
Can you make fruit leathers in the oven? I found online that you can, however it showed that it took about 8 hours! I didn’t know if also it would be supportive made in the oven opposed to the dehydrator. Thanks!
Hi Marissa, yes you can make it in the oven, and it’s a low temp/long time in the oven- not a summertime thing! Regardless of how you make it, it’ll stay the same nutrient wise!