Turn
Your
Fresh
Fruit
Into
Fruit
Leather
With
a
Fruit
Dehydrator!
Do
you
have
children
and
you
try
to
feed
them
healthy
snacks? Are
you
aiming
to
incorporate
more
healthy
foods
into
your
own
diet?
Are
you
looking
for
quick
and
easy
foods
that
you
can
eat
on
the
go?
Why
not
start
turning
your
fresh
fruit
into
fruit
leather
with
a
fruit
dehydrator! Dried
or
dehydrated
fruit
can
be a
nutritious
and
delicious
snack
or
an
addition
to
your
salads,
fruit
cups
and
more.
Not
only
is
it
delicious,
but
using
a
fruit
dehydrator,
like
the
Excalibur
is a
great
way
to
use
up
fruit
from
a
bountiful
harvest
or
the
wonderful
finds
from
the
market
gardens!
Kids
and
adults
alike
love
sweet
treats
and
there
is
literally
no
limit
to
the
fruits
you
can
dry
in
the
Excalibur
Food
Dehydrator!
Here
is a
step-by-step
guide
to
quickly
and
easily
turning
fruit
into
fruit
leather!
- Prepare the Drying Surface: First check to see if your fruit dehydrator comes with special trays for leather, if it does, follow the manufacturers’ instructions. If it does not, consider covering each drying tray with a sheet of parchment paper – fruit leather can be sticky and you don’t want to ruin your machine!
- Prepare the Fruit Puree: The great thing about fruit leather is that you can combine different fruits to create new taste sensations. Just add your fruit in a blender or food processor and blend until nice and smooth. You may have to scrape the sides in order to ensure all the fruit gets pureed.
- Pour the Puree: Take great care and pour one cup of puree onto the prepared surface (as directed in bullet one) and spread evenly to about ten inches square. For even drying, try to form the puree so that it is slightly thicker around the edges than in the center.
- Dry the Puree: Read your fruit dehydrator manufacturer’s instructions (most dry in five to ten hours) and dry puree until it feels leathery and pliable and the top is no longer sticky or gluey to the touch. You should be able to peel it off with none of it sticking to the tray.
- Cut into Strips: When the fruit leather is still a touch warm, cut it into smaller strips – just perfect for snacking! Wrap each piece tightly in plastic wrap.
- Store for Future Snacking - You have two choices for storing. You can store each piece flat or roll them up enclosing the wrap. For optimum freshness place inside a paper bag and seal the bag with tape! Store in a cool, dry place for up to two months or place in the freezer for up to a year!
Don’t
Just
Stop
At
Fruit!
Why
not
use
your
fruit
dehydrator
to
make
leathers
with
yogurt
and
vegetables
too!
- Yogurt Leather: Yogurt, when dried, becomes vibrantly colored and has taffy like consistency. Follow your fruit dehydrator’s instructions for making yogurt and add flavorings like pureed fruit or peppermint extract. You can also use commercially prepared yogurt, but select the pre-stirred variety. The key to success with yogurt is to cut the rolled yogurt leathers into ½” pieces and re-dry into individual bites for about an hour. The re-drying process after cutting helps seal the edges and prevent the pieces from sticking together in the storage container.
- Vegetable Leather: If you’d like to up your vegetable intake, vegetable leather or a mix of fruit and vegetables works great. Steam your vegetables until tender, puree and mix with herbs and spices (or fruit, if desired). You can even use your vegetable leathers and rehydrate them later for sauces, soups and gazpacho!
There
you
have
it!
Making
fruit,
yogurt
and
vegetable
leathers
in
your
Excalibur
fruit
dehydrator
is
relatively
simple
and
the
rewards
for
your
efforts
are
tasty
snacks
that
everyone
in
the
family
will
enjoy!
Purchase
your
own
Excalibur
Food
Dehydrator
and
your
family
will
appreciate
the
delicious
and
healthy
snacks
you
make!
