food preservation teaching outline - Oregon State University ...

Canned fruits
- Good way to use old canned fruits.
- Easiest source of fruit for leather.
- Drain off liquid and puree the canned fruits.
- May add 1 Tbsp. lemon juice to puree for a fresher flavor or combined with
other fruits.
Frozen fruit
- Thaw fruit and drain off all juice.
- Puree the thawed fruit.
- Combine the frozen fruit puree with drained canned fruits or bananas to thicken.
D. Making the puree, tips:
Puree the fruit in a blender or food processor until smooth.
The puree for leather should be the thickness of apple sauce or baby food.
If too thin, cook on low heat until desired thickness is achieved.
For seedy fruit like berries, you might want to sieve the puree to remove some of the
seeds. They become very hard.
Some fruits like raspberries make very sticky leather so best to combine with another
fruit like canned pears, apple sauce or bananas.
E. Drying leather
Line drying trays or cookie sheet with plastic wrap, parchment paper or use trays
designed for fruit leathers.
Spread on drying trays ¼ to ¾ inch thick.
May use toppings like coconut, nut, sesame seeds or seasonings. Sprinkle on puree
before drying.
Dry in a dehydrator, oven or sun. Rotate tray if necessary.
F. Storage
After dry (should be a little tacky but no longer moist). Leather can be rolled and
wrapped in plastic wrap, or cut into 4-6 inch pieces or rolls.
Place rolls or pieces in heavy food-grade plastic bags or containers and store in a
cool, dry, dark place.
Demonstration
Show how to blanch, cool and dry sliced carrots.
Slice and pretreat apples or fruit of your choice.
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