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Honey Huckleberry Fruit Leather

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rolls of Honey Huckleberry Fruit Leather wrapped in plastic and labeled

~ raw, gluten-free, nut-free ~

Huckleberries… ya just got to say it like a red-neck… Go on, say it. Huuuuuukllllllll-buuuuuury!  There is a fruit stand that sells homemade ice creams, pies, and all sorts of jams down the road and they have a big sign out front advertising Huckleberry Milkshakes.

Every time we drive past there my mouth waters, and I just have to hoot and holler the words…  “Wanna have a Huuuuuukllllllll-buuuuuury milkshake pa?!”

After driving by there often, my curiosity got the best of me, and I had to taste a huckleberry.  I finally swung in and bought us some good ole huckleberries. Ohhhh, they are little orbs of heaven!

This was a taste that I wanted to enjoy year-round, so I decided to preserve their amazing taste in a fruit leather.  I didn’t mess around with the flavor profile too much because I wanted the pureness of the huckleberry to shine through and that it did!

Health Benefits of Huckleberries:

a close up of rolls of Honey Huckleberry Fruit Leather wrapped in plastic and labeledIngredients:

yields 2 cups puree

Preparation:

  1. Select RIPE huckleberries that have reached a peak in color, texture, and flavor.
  2. Puree the huckleberries with honey and salt, in the blender or food processor until smooth.
    • Taste and sweeten more if needed.  Keep in mind that flavors will intensify as they dehydrate.
    • When adding a sweetener do so a little at a time, and reblend, tasting until it is at the desired taste.
    • It is best to use a liquid type sweetener.  Don’t use granulated sugar because it tends to change the texture.
  3. 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.
  4. Dehydrate the fruit leather at 145 degrees (F) for 1 hour, reduce temp to 115 degrees (F) and continue drying for about 16 (+/-) hours.  The 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
  5. 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 them tightly with plastic wrap. Click (here) to see photos of how I wrap them.
    • 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.

Culinary Explanations:

6 thoughts on “Honey Huckleberry Fruit Leather

  1. Anne-Marie says:

    Hi Amie Sue, huckleberries translated in french, means cranberries, but on your beautiful picture it does not seem to be the same…? Thank you for your answer and with warm regards, AM

    • amie-sue says:

      Good evening Anne- Marie,

      Well, here in the US, huckleberries and cranberries are two different berries. Huckleberries are a small, round, edible blue-black berry related to the blueberry. Cranberries are red and tart. larger than a huckleberry too. You could use about any berry in place of the huckleberry if you don’t have them. They are not a real common berry. In fact, I never had them before moving here to Oregon. :) Blessings Anne- Marie, amie sue

  2. Ellen says:

    I made the huckleberry honey fruit leather and I found that even after 16+ hours in my warming drawer (my oven doesn’t go that low), there are a couple of spots (not necessarily in the middle) that don’t seem to want to dry completely. I am wondering if I put the pan on a wire rack if it would dry through and through. So far,it’s a huge hit. I have a lot of hucks from last summer and I found this the BEST way to use them and send to family and friends. Right now I have a dryer on the spot that still needs drying and hope that works. If I stick it back in the drawer, then the edges will get over done and crack apart.

    • amie-sue says:

      Oh I am so jealous of your huckleberry stash! hehe I haven’t done any of my leathers in the oven so I can’t respond with experience but I have had that happen with the dehydrator. I think what happens is that they leather is just thicker in spots which makes the dry time longer for those sections. Have a blessed day, amie sue

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