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Turn Your Fresh Fruit Into Fruit Leather With a Fruit Dehydrator!

Do you have children and you try to feed them healthy snacks? Are you aiming to incorporate more healthy foods into your own diet?  Are you looking for quick and easy foods that you can eat on the go?

Why not start turning your fresh fruit into fruit leather with a fruit dehydrator! Dried or dehydrated fruit can be a nutritious and delicious snack or an addition to your salads, fruit cups and more.

Not only is it delicious, but using a fruit dehydrator, like the Excalibur is a great way to use up fruit from a bountiful harvest or the wonderful finds from the market gardens!  Kids and adults alike love sweet treats and there is literally no limit to the fruits you can dry in the Excalibur Food Dehydrator!

Here is a step-by-step guide to quickly and easily turning fruit into fruit leather!

• Prepare the Drying Surface: First check to see if your fruit dehydrator comes with special trays for leather, if it does, follow the manufacturers’ instructions.  If it does not, consider covering each drying tray with a sheet of parchment paper – fruit leather can be sticky and you don’t want to ruin your machine!
• Prepare the Fruit Puree:  The great thing about fruit leather is that you can combine different fruits to create new taste sensations.  Just add your fruit in a blender or food processor and blend until nice and smooth. You may have to scrape the sides in order to ensure all the fruit gets pureed.
• Pour the Puree: Take great care and pour one cup of puree onto the prepared surface (as directed in bullet one) and spread evenly to about ten inches square.  For even drying, try to form the puree so that it is slightly thicker around the edges than in the center.
• Dry the Puree:  Read your fruit dehydrator manufacturer’s instructions (most dry in five to ten hours) and dry puree until it feels leathery and pliable and the top is no longer sticky or gluey to the touch.  You should be able to peel it off with none of it sticking to the tray.
• Cut into Strips:  When the fruit leather is still a touch warm, cut it into smaller strips – just perfect for snacking!  Wrap each piece tightly in plastic wrap. 
• Store for Future Snacking - You have two choices for storing.  You can store each piece flat or roll them up enclosing the wrap.  For optimum freshness place inside a paper bag and seal the bag with tape!  Store in a cool, dry place for up to two months or place in the freezer for up to a year!

Don’t Just Stop At Fruit!

Why not use your fruit dehydrator to make leathers with yogurt and vegetables too!

• Yogurt Leather:  Yogurt, when dried, becomes vibrantly colored and has taffy like consistency.  Follow your fruit dehydrator’s instructions for making yogurt and add flavorings like pureed fruit or peppermint extract.  You can also use commercially prepared yogurt, but select the pre-stirred variety.  The key to success with yogurt is to cut the rolled yogurt leathers into ½” pieces and re-dry into individual bites for about an hour.  The re-drying process after cutting helps seal the edges and prevent the pieces from sticking together in the storage container.
• Vegetable Leather:  If you’d like to up your vegetable intake, vegetable leather or a mix of fruit and vegetables works great.  Steam your vegetables until tender, puree and mix with herbs and spices (or fruit, if desired).  You can even use your vegetable leathers and rehydrate them later for sauces, soups and gazpacho!

There you have it!  Making fruit, yogurt and vegetable leathers in your Excalibur fruit dehydrator is relatively simple and the rewards for your efforts are tasty snacks that everyone in the family will enjoy!  Purchase your own Excalibur Food Dehydrator and your family will appreciate the delicious and healthy snacks you make!