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13
LEATHERS & FRUIT ROLLS
Leathers are an easy answer to the often heard request of “What is there to eat?” Yogurt,
leftover fruits or vegetables can be pureed, sweetened and spiced and made into a
nutritious, high-energy snack food. Spread the pureed, produce thinly on Paraflexx
™
sheets
or plastic wrap and dehydrate, transforming the liquid into a chewy, quick-energy snack!
Leathers are so simple to make!
Select ripe or slightly overripe (but not spoiling) produce that blends and tastes well
together. Strawberries and rhubarb, or bananas and pineapple make great combinations.
Wash, remove any blemishes, stems or pits and peel produce if desired. Keep in mind
produce skins are highly nutritious. Puree the produce in a blender until it is smooth.
Pour 1 1/2 to 2 cups of puree onto the Paraflexx
™
or plastic wrap covered trays. Since the
edges tend to dry more rapidly, the poured puree should be 1/8" thick at the center and 1/4"
thick at the edges. Place the prepared puree in the dehydrator with the temperature set at
135º/57ºC. Average drying time for leathers is 4-6 hours. When the leather has dried, it will
be a bit shiny and non-sticky to the touch. Allow the leather to cool and peel it from the tray.
Roll it into a tight cylindrical shape. A piece of plastic wrap, measured to fit the length and
width, is then tightly wrapped around the leather.
Fruit
Tart fruits such as rhubarb and cranberries require sweetening before drying. To the
fruit puree, add from 1/4 to 1/2 cup of honey or sugar. The amount of sweetener added
is dependent on your personal preference. Apple leather can be flavored with ground
cinnamon or nutmeg. Peanut butter and banana leathers can be made with 4 ripe bananas
and 1 cup old-fashioned peanut butter. Try adding coconut or chopped nuts to the leather for
an even more interesting taste and texture! Be sure to refrigerate leathers containing nuts
as the oil in them may shorten the leathers shelf life. Dry at 135º/57ºC.
Yogurt
Yogurt when spread onto Paraflexx
™
sheets or plastic wrap and dried becomes a vividly
colored taffy-like snack. Make yogurt, add flavoring such as pureed strawberries or
peppermint extract. For best results with commercially made yogurt, use pre-stirred yogurt.
Cut the rolled yogurt leathers into 1/2" pieces and re-dry the individual “bites” for 1 hour.
Re-drying the yogurt after it has been cut will help seal the edges and prevent the pieces
from sticking in the storage container.
Vegetables
Vegetables can be steamed until tender, pureed and mixed with herbs and spices. Tomato
puree mixed with Italian herbs can be dried and later rehydrated for use as tomato paste or
sauce. Gazpacho leathers made from tomato, cucumber, onion, green pepper and herbs
is a delicious, low calorie treat! Carrot leathers can be the base for a cream soup. Using
your imagination, experiment a bit to find out what you will like the most! Dry at 125ºF/52ºC.
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