Fruit Rolls or Fruit Leather is a naturally sweet treat that is not only delicious but provides a nutritious, high-energy snack. You don't need tens of kilograms of fruit to make these rolls and it can be made from most fruits: guava, apples, pears, quince, apricot, peach, strawberries, bananas and even combinations of different fruits.
There is no set recipe as it depends on your taste and what you prefer but with as little as two kilograms of fresh fruit, you can make your own additive-free rolls.
Wash the fruit, take out any pips and cut the fruit into chunks.
Place the fruit in a saucepan and add as little water as possible. If it is a fruit with a high water content like a strawberry, cover the base of the saucepan only. When working with banana you may add half a cup of water. Remember: you can add water later on, but it is always more difficult to "take water out".
Put a lid on the saucepan and simmer the fruit gently for 15 - 20 minutes, until soft. If you feel that your mixture is very dry, this is the time to add a small amount of water.
You may now add the cooked fruit to a blender or use an immersion blender. Blitz it up and then taste whether you want to add sweetness and/or acid to it, depending on how sweet it is naturally.
If you are working with apples, pears or quince, you may wish to add ground spices like cinnamon or nutmeg. It is up to you....the end product should suit YOUR taste. A squeeze of lemon not only prevents discolouration, but often brightens the taste and freshness of the fruit.
Your goal at this stage is to have a mixture that is silky smooth and lump and pip-free and most importantly, tastes delicious!
Now, prepare a large baking sheet or tea tray by lining it with parchment paper.
Pour the fruit mixture onto the tray and spread it as evenly over the entire surface in an even thickness. You don't want it to be thicker than 3-4mm.
Preheat your oven to 50℃ and place the baking tray on the middle rack of the oven. Leave to dry for 8 - 12 hours.
The fruit is ready when the surface is smooth and no longer sticky to the touch.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.
Cut into strips and roll OR roll the entire length and cut into portion sizes.
Wrap in soft plastic and store in a dry container in a cupboard.
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