Strawberry and Other Berry Fruit Roll-ups

Preparation of the Puree

• Cut fruit into chunks and place in the top of a double boiler. Cover and steam for 15 to 20 minutes or until the fruit is soft and a thermometer placed in the fruit mixture registers 160°F or cook the cut-up fruit in a glass casserole in the microwave oven on full power for 6 to 8 minutes per two cups of fruit, stirring every 2 minutes. The purpose of heating the puree to 160°F is to kill bacteria such as E. coli that if present might survive the drying process. It also stops the maturing action of enzymes in the fruit and speeds the drying process (Kendall and Sofos, 2012).
• Puree fruit in a blender with ⅛ teaspoon ascorbic acid crystals or 2 teaspoons lemon juice per 2 cups of fruit to protect the color and help destroy bacteria during drying (Andress and Harrison, 2020).
• The puree may be sweetened with 1 to 2 tablespoons of sugar, corn syrup, or honey per 2 cups of fruit. Sweeteners are optional. Adding a sweetener will make the leather tacky and the sugar may crystallize if stored for several months.
• Because strawberries have a high moisture content, you can mix the strawberry puree with applesauce for quicker drying. This is a necessity if using very soft berries such as raspberries. Equal parts berry puree and applesauce work well, but you can experiment with proportions to your liking.

Preparation of the Trays

• Spray a cookie sheet with vegetable spray or line with plastic wrap or non-stick foil. Tape the plastic wrap in place on the baking sheet.
• Do not use waxed paper or regular foil as it will stick, and you will have paper or foil in your leather.
• Spread the fruit puree over the pan to a depth of ⅛- to ¼-inch. Spreading the puree over a large area of the pan makes it possible to cut long strips. However, you can reduce drying time by spreading smaller rectangles. It is even possible to make small circles of leather for individual servings.

Dehydrating

• Dry in an oven or dehydrator at 140° to 145°F. If the oven temperature gets too hot, turn the oven off for a short time to reduce the temperature.
• Let the oven door open a crack (about the thickness of a wooden spoon) so that the evaporated moisture can escape.
• The leather will take 4 to 10 hours to dry.
• Dried fruit leather will be translucent and slightly tacky to the touch. No indentations should remain when lightly touched and it will peel easily from the pan.
• Remove from the pan while still warm.

Storage

• Roll the leather in plastic wrap or waxed paper.
• Store as one piece or cut into 1-inch strips.
• Make sure the leather is completely dry before storing in an air-tight container.
• It will retain good quality for up to one year in the freezer, several months in the refrigerator, or one to two months at room temperature.

Uses of Fruit Leathers

When fruits are dried, the removal of moisture concentrates the flavor and caloric value. The same is true when the fruit is in the form of a leather. Fruit roll-ups taste sweet without additional sugar and are a good source of energy. Use as snacks (children of all ages love them) or include with hiking or camping supplies.

References

Andress, E.L. & Harrison, J.A. (2020). So Easy to Preserve. University of Georgia Cooperative Extension.

Kendall, P. & Sofos, J. (2012, May). Leathers and Jerkies Fact Sheet No. 9.311. Colorado State University Extension.