Ok, I’m almost done talking about the peaches.
So, I was a little excited to make fruit leather. I bought a dehydrator a while back but only used it for some failed experiments. With gobs and gobs of peach pulp, this was the time to test it out.
I’ve learned a lot.
One: I really shouldn’t use regular plastic wrap in it. It kind of goes all shrinky-dinky on me, and after stretching it across the tray I fret that I haven’t cut enough air holes all ’round, and then have trouble falling asleep because I think the machine will overheat and set my house on fire.
Two: Parchment paper is somewhat better in that you can cut circles to fit, but it’s harder to spread close to the edge and I have trouble falling asleep because I worry the paper will catch fire and burn the house down.
Three: I can’t spread this stuff evenly (which is actually ok because I love the shattery bits that happen when it’s too thin and too dry) but when I set the thicker parts back in the dehydrator I fret that the house will catch on fire.
So, all in all, it’s been a success, except for the fire fretting. I’ve got a fair amount of leather and the challenge is to not eat it all in one sitting. When I was a kid my dad would make fruit leather and try to hide it from me, but I found it – oh yes I did! We kept it in the freezer so all of it was shattery bits!!
Sorry for eating it all, Dad, but it was goooooood.
Brad says
It looks like the fruit leather turned out better than the strawberries and oranges this past summer… Those were really gross.
How long does it take to dry the liquid into leather?
Lauren says
It depends. The thin spots were dry in 8 hours, but the thicker spots took much longer. I was afraid to let the dryer run while I was at work, so I put the trays in the oven with the light on. The last batch I did I actually pre-heated the oven to 170, turned it off and while I was at work they dried out and the oven was still fairly warm when I got home.
I could have saved $5 and not bought the dehydrator, but where’s the adventure in that?
Jill says
That stuff looks delish. I wish I had time to drive to Seward. Doh.
Deborah says
Is Lloyd better yet? Have him take a shower. That always helps.
Lloyd says
I’ve been going to school until 1:00 this week. I’m done teaching by then and the rest of my day is normally spent working on computery things. Then I come home and sleep.
Kristi says
All this talk of using the dehydrator is making me want some jerky. I might have to get my unit out and whip some up.
Deborah says
Oh, dear . . .
Lauren's dad says
Lauren, I’m glad you ate all the leather and liked it! We have dried apples that need to be eaten—some from last year and a bunch from the year or two before. When can we expect you?
Peggy says
I have never had fruit leather. Unfortunately, I’m not a big fruit eater. Can you use any fruit? A banana? How about a Taskeykake?