Dehydrated Strawberry Fruit Leather
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Have you heard of fruit leather? If you are familiar with fruit roll-ups or fruit-by-the-foot, then you have experienced something similar to fruit leather. This fun and healthy snack is made with 3 ingredients and is the perfect way to enjoy your favorite fruits when they’re no longer in season. By simply dehydrating fruit pulp, you can create a delicious easy snack out of the byproduct from your jelly making, while preserving food in a unique and yummy way. This 3-ingredient strawberry fruit leather is so simple, you’ll wonder why you haven’t tried to make it sooner!
what is fruit leather?
Fruit leather is simply dehydrated fruit, usually made from the pulp, that becomes chewy and gummy. It’s kind of like making jerky, but with fruit instead!
If you enjoying juicing fruit or making jelly, you may be familiar with having leftover pulp. Fruit leather can easily be made from this byproduct from juicing, creating a no-waste recipe. How wonderful is that? Fruit leather can also be made from the puree of whole fruits, though it will take a bit longer to dehydrate as the juices have not been removed.
If you are a fan of fruit roll-ups or fruit gummies, learning how to make homemade fruit leather can be a great alternative that is healthy and easy to make!
gathering ingredients to make strawberry fruit leather:
To make homemade strawberry fruit leather, you really only need 2 to 3 ingredients! How great is that? This recipe for homemade fruit leather is super easy to make and can last you for a long time!
Strawberries. Of course, to make a strawberry fruit leather you will need some strawberries! For this recipe, I used about 5 pounds (2.27 kg) of strawberries, but you can easily halve or quarter this recipe if you want to make a smaller batch.
Honey. To help sweeten the fruit leather, I added honey. If you want to add a different type of sugar to your fruit leather, make sure that it is in liquid form such as a simple syrup. You can also skip on adding any additional sugar to the recipe!
Lemon Juice. To help keep the color and brighten the flavor of the fruit you will want to add some lemon juice.
equipment needed to make fruit leather:
To make fruit leather, you will need some extra kitchen equipment. For this recipe, I am making the fruit leather from the fruit pulp leftover after juicing the strawberries. This saves time in the dehydration process, and you get the extra byproduct of juice which you can use to make jelly or simply store on its own.
Jelly Bag and Stand. This is one of the most affordable way to juice fruit, though it takes longer than using an electric juicer. It’s super easy to set up and use!
Blender or Food Processor. Even after juicing the fruit, it still needs to be pureed. I love using my Vitamix, but any food processor, blender, or immersion blender will work! If you want to go the more old-fashioned route, you can use a mortar and pestle to mash up the fruit.
Wax Paper.
Dehydrator. If you’d like to speed up the dehydration process, you can bake the fruit leather in your oven for about 5 to 6 hours, or you can put it in a dehydrator. I have this one, and it’s affordable and works great.
how to make strawberry fruit leather:
Step One: Begin by juicing your strawberries. Place the berries with some water into a large pot and bring to a simmer. Then, lower the heat and lightly cover the pot, simmering for a further 5 to 10 minutes or until your fruit is softened. Set up a jelly bag and stand over a large pot or bowl and transfer the fruit and juice to the jelly bag. Let it drip for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours to remove as much juice as possible. Save the juice for another use, such as Strawberry Chamomile Jelly!
Step Two: Once the juice has been removed, transfer the strawberry pulp to a food processor or blender. Add the honey and lemon juice and blend until the mixture is smooth and has a consistent texture, about 1 to 2 minutes.
Step Three: Arrange wax paper on 2 large baking sheets. Divide the strawberry puree evenly between both baking sheets, and spread it as evenly as possible with a silicone spatula.
Step Four: The layer of puree should be about 1/8 to 1/4-inch (3 to 6-mm) thick. It can help to use a bench scraper to create a flat surface and to even out any lumps or humps.
Step Five: Leave the fruit leather to dehydrate on the countertop in an area that retains a moderate temperature and humidity level. There are several ways to dehydrate this, including outside on dry days, in the oven at 170° F (77° C) for about 5 to 6 hours, or even in an electric dehydrator.
Step Six: The fruit leather is finished dehydrating when it is no longer wet to the touch and is slightly chewy but not tacky. You should be able to peel it away without it sticking to your fingers. Peel the fruit off of the wax paper, roll it up tightly, and slice into 3-inch (8-cm) sections.
how to store fruit leather:
After slicing your fruit leather, you will need to decide how you would like to store it! This dehydrated fruit snack is easy to store and will last your for a long time.
Store at Room Temperature: To store homemade fruit leather at room temperature, place it in an airtight container or bag. Keep it out of direct sunlight in a place that is low in humidity, such as a pantry cabinet. It should keep this way for about 1 month or longer. Check routinely for any signs of mold or discoloration.
Store in the Refrigerator: To store homemade fruit leather in the refrigerator, place it in an airtight container or bag. It can be stored in your fridge for about 6 months or longer.
Store in the Freezer: To freeze homemade fruit leather, place the cut sections of fruit leather on a baking sheet. Place the baking sheet into the freezer and flash freeze the pieces until fully hardened, about 2 to 3 hours. Then, place the individual pieces into freezer safe container or bags. The fruit leather can be stored frozen for about 1 year or longer.
final thoughts:
How easy is that? If you are already working on preserving the harvest this year, I think that fruit leather makes an excellent recipe to add to your list. I love when I can use the byproducts from other recipes and turn them into something else that is not only delicious but easy to make and useful! This 3-ingredient homemade strawberry fruit leather is a perfect snacking recipe to make for the whole family, and it’s wonderful to take along on hikes, trips to the beach, or while camping. Plus, you can make this recipe with any type of fruit!
xoxo Kayla
Strawberry Fruit Leather
Ingredients
- 5 lb (2.27 kg) fresh strawberries, green tops removed and quartered
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) honey
- 1 to 2 tbsp (15 to 30 ml) lemon juice
Instructions
- Begin by preparing the strawberries to collect their juice. Add the strawberries to a large heavy-bottomed pot and cover with about 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) water. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly, until it cannot be stirred down.
- Lower the heat to a simmer and cover the pot loosely, stirring occasionally and gently crushing the berries, until they are softened, about 5 to 10 minutes. Remove the pot from heat.
- Transfer the berries to a jelly bag stand set over a large pot or bowl to capture the juice. Let the juice drip into the bowl for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours. I find that 12 to 24 hours is best! Do not squeeze the jelly bag at all.
- The next day, transfer the juice to a storage container to use for another purpose, such as making Strawberry Chamomile Jelly!
- Then, transfer the pulp from the jelly bag into a food processor or blender, scraping out as much as possible. You want the pulp to have as much juice removed as possible, but it shouldn't be necessary to squeeze it. Mix in the honey, adjusting to your taste, and lemon juice. Pulse the mixture until it is smooth and the texture is consistent.
- If desired, you can remove the seeds by pressing the puree through a fine mesh sieve. Otherwise, skip this step.
- Line 2 large baking sheets with wax paper. Spread the strawberry puree evenly between the two pans with a silicone spatula. Try to keep the layer as even as possible, which should be about 1/8 to 1/4-inch (3 to 6-mm) thick. Using a bench scraper can really help give you a smooth top and edge.
- Then, leave the fruit leather to dry until it has become thick and slightly sticky but is no longer tacky. This can take about 2 to 3 days, depending on the temperature of your home. It is best to leave the fruit leather in a place that has moderate temperatures and normal humidity levels, such as the countertop in your kitchen. Some people leave it to dry outside if it's not damp out!
- To save time, you can also dehydrate the fruit leather in your oven. Preheat your oven to 170° F (77° C). Bake the fruit leather for about 5 to 6 hours of until the fruit is no longer tacky to the touch.
- When the fruit leather is finished dehydrating, gently peel it away from the wax paper. Roll the leather up tightly and cut into 3-inch (8-cm) lengths. Store the fruit leather in an airtight container at room temperature for about 1 month. You can also store the fruit leather in your refrigerator for about 6 months, or flash freeze and then store in freezer bags for 1 year or longer.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
41Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
