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Basil Infused Strawberry Fruit Leather

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raw sugar free fruit roll up displayed with fresh strawberries

~ raw, vegan, gluten-free, nut-free ~

Goodness, my pantry is smelling heavenly right now! (the home of my dehydrator)  I can smell the sweetness of the strawberries and the hint of basil dancing through the air.

I had fun making this recipe. Perhaps it was the act of infusing that made me feel all la-te-da, you know, real chef-like. We all need our moments of glory and if I find mine in the act of infusing a herb into a fruit, well then so be it.

I love gathering information, tidbits, trivia about things, so I thought I would share a bit of basil.

Ingredients:

Preparation:

  1. Select RIPE or slightly overripe strawberries that have reached a peak in color, texture, and flavor.
  2. Prepare the strawberries; wash, dry, and remove stems.
  3. Puree the strawberries, in the blender or food processor until smooth.  Taste and sweeten if needed.  Keep in mind that flavors will intensify as they dehydrate.  When adding a sweetener do so 1 tbsp 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.  
    • Pour the puree into a bowl.
    • Take the basil leaves and roughly chop them (bruising them).  This will help release their oils.  Place the basil in the strawberry puree and stir it around.  Cover and place in the fridge overnight or for about 8 hours.  This will infuse the basil into the strawberries.
    • Strain the puree through a mesh cylinder to remove the basil leaves.  Place puree in the blender, add ground chia, and blend until combined.
    • Allow the puree to sit for 10 minutes, so the chia has time to thicken the puree.
  4. 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.
  5. Dehydrate the fruit leather at 145 degrees (F) for 1 hour, reduce temp to 115 degrees (F) and continue drying for about 16 (+/-) hours.  Flip the leather over about halfway through, remove the teflex sheet, and continue drying on the mesh sheet.  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 it 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
  6. 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:

 

14 thoughts on “Basil Infused Strawberry Fruit Leather

  1. Kaitlin says:

    I want to know how to make leathers/ and gummies without using a dehydrator. I know a little about the oven method, but would also like to make the snacks just fruit and chia. The oven and chia option doesn’t seem to be documented anywhere! What do you think is my next step? I have my fruit prepared and stewed – I only added a little agave and my mixture is a wonderful texture. Now how much chia per cup (?) and then how long to let it sit before I realize I need to add more chia? I don’t like wasting any food – especially lovely strawberries/kiwi and oranges!
    Thanks for your help!
    Kaitlin Flynn

  2. Dr Don says:

    I see you do not add lemon juice to maintain the color. Is there a reason?

  3. Anne-Marie says:

    I love the “gourmet éditions”! AM

  4. Erin says:

    Hi! I have a power blender which would liquify the basil if I blended it up with the strawberries. Do you think the recipe would turn out if I did this, rather than letting the basil infuse overnight?…

    • amie-sue says:

      I have a high speed blender as well, but I find that with raw ingredients, some do best if they have time to really infuse and meld together. So I recommend infusing overnight but you can always try it and see what you think. :) Have a great weekend, amie sue

  5. Mygreenlady says:

    Hi! I loved your recipes, can i use flax seeds instead of chia? I have lots and lots of flax seeds
    Thanks!

    • amie-sue says:

      Yes you can exchange them. Flax does have more taste to them than chia but in small amounts it shouldn’t be detected. Good luck and have fun. amie sue :)

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