Balsamic Banana-Berry Fruit Leather ~ Gourmet Edition ~

Love, love, love , love this one!  I am at a loss words about this recipe other than it is delicious and that I hope you give it a try.  If you do, please let me know what you think.  Have a blessed day!

Ingredients: yields 3 1/2 cups puree

• 2 cups fresh, organic strawberries
• 3 large bananas, ripe
• 1 Tbsp vanilla infused agave nectar
• 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp sea salt

Preparation:

• Select RIPE or slightly overripe bananas and strawberries that have reached a peak in color, texture, and flavor.
• Puree the fruit, agave, balsamic, salt, and vanilla extract, in the blender or food processor until smooth.  Taste, and sweeten more if needed.  Keep in mind that flavors will intensify as its dehydrates.  When adding a sweetener do so a little time, and reblend, tasting until it is at the desired taste.  It is best to use a liquid type sweetener.  Don’t use a granulated sugar because it tends to change the texture.
• Spread the fruit puree on teflex sheets that come with your dehydrator.  Pour the puree to create an even depth of 1/8 to 1/4 inch.  If you don’t have teflex sheets for the trays, you can line your trays with plastic wrap or parchment paper.  Do not use wax paper or aluminum foil.
• Lightly coat the food dehydrator plastic sheets or wrap with a cooking spray, I use coconut oil that comes in a spray.
• When spreading the puree on the liner, allow about an inch of space between the mixture and the outside edge.  The fruit leather mixture will spread out as it dries, so it needs a little room to allow for this expansion.
• Be sure to spread the puree evenly on your drying tray.  When spreading the puree mixture, try tilting and shaking the tray to help it distribute more evenly.  Also, it is a good idea to rotate your trays throughout the drying period.  This will help assure that the leathers dry evenly.
• Dehydrate the fruit leather at 145 degrees (F) for 1 hour, reduce temp to 105 degrees (F) and continue drying for about 16 (+/-) hours.  Finished consistency should be pliable and easy to roll.
• Check for dark spots on top of the fruit leather.  If dark spots can be seen it is a sign that the fruit leather is not completely dry.
• Press down on the fruit leather with a finger.  If no indentation is visible or if it is no longer tacky to the touch, the fruit leather is dry and can be removed from the dehydrator.
• Peel the leather from the dehydrator trays or parchment paper. If it peels away easily and holds its shape after peeling, it is dry. If it is still sticking or loses its shape after peeling, it needs further drying.
• Under-dried fruit leather will not keep; it will mold.  Over-dried fruit leather will become hard and crack, although it will still be edible and will keep for a long time
• Storage: to store the finished fruit leather…
• Allow the leather to cool before wrapping up to avoid moisture from forming, thus giving it a breeding ground for molds.
• Roll them up and wrap tightly with plastic wrap.
• Place in an air-tight container, and store in a dry, dark place. (Light will cause the fruit leather to discolor.)
• The fruit leather will keep at room temperature for one month, or in a freezer for up to one year.

 

 

Posted on Saturday, September 1st, 2012 at 6:31 pm. Filed under: Fruit Leathers Tags: Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Nut Free, Refined Sugar Free, Soy Free, sugar-free, Vegan RSS 2.0 feed.